Photo David Gill

This recipe, from Alastair Little's Food of the Sun (Quadrille, 1995), has been adapted to ease the preparation time. If you’d prefer to use dried chickpeas, start with 200g (7 oz).

One 3 lb (1.35 kg) chicken, cut into 8 pieces

4 tablespoons (60 mL) sunflower oil

1-1⁄2 lbs (750g) onions, peeled and chopped

2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

7 cups (1.75 L) chicken stock

2 tablespoons (30 mL) white vinegar

2 lb (1 kg) canned chopped tomatoes

4 ounces (125 g) lentils

4 ounces (125g) basmati rice

One 540 mL (19 oz) can chickpeas, drained

Salt and pepper

12 saffron threads, soaked in 1⁄2 cup hot water

1-inch (2.5 cm) piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated

Large bunch of coriander leaves, roughly chopped

Bunch of flat-leaf parsley leaves, roughly chopped

Juice of 1 lemon

6 tablespoons (90 mL) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to serve

6-8 pita breads to serve

Brown the chicken pieces, skin side down, over medium-high heat in half the sunflower oil in a fry pan. Set aside.

In a large saucepan, fry the onions in the remaining sunflower oil until translucent. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Add all the chicken pieces, save for the breasts, and pour over the stock, the vinegar, and 41⁄2 cups (1.125L) of water. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a gentle simmer, and skim off any scum that has accumulated on the surface. Poach the chicken for 10 minutes, then remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a cutting board.

Add the tomatoes and the lentils to the stock and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the rice and continue to simmer for another 12 minutes or so until the rice and lentils are just cooked. Stir in the chickpeas.

Cut the meat from the chicken pieces, pulling the flesh off the breast in pieces (you can keep the drumsticks and wings whole if you like), and place all the meat with the saffron and its soaking water into the pot. Simmer for five minutes, then season with salt and pepper (if you use the drumsticks whole simmer until cooked through, about 15 minutes longer).

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the grated ginger, coriander, parsley, lemon juice and 6 tablespoons olive oil. Serve immediately in large soup bowls. Put extra-virgin olive oil on the table for people to add if they wish along with the pita breads.