Serves 4

Ingredients

• 4 chicken drumsticks + thighs, skin removed
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed to a paste with salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
• 300ml water
• 20g butter
• 15 strands of saffron
• 1 large onion, grated coarsely
• 3 persimons, peeled and cut into wedges (sixths)
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• 3 tablespoons roughly chopped coriander
• Sea salt and black pepper

Caramelised persimons for on top

• 3 persimons, peeled + quartered
• 20g salted butter
• 1 pinch of cinnamon

For garnish

• Fresh coriander leaves
• 1 tablespoon lightly toasted sesame seeds

Method

Rub the chicken with the crushed garlic and the cinnamon and allow to sit for 20 minutes. Toss the chicken with all the other ingredients and season with salt and pepper. Place in a tagine, frying pan or sauce pan with a tight fitting lid. Simmer lid on for 1 ½ hours. Turn the chicken half way through cooking and check the sauce is not drying out too much or catching. If it is, add a little water.

To caramelise the persimons, gently melt the butter a frying pan. Place the persimons in the pan and turn up the heat to brown/caramelise on two or three sides (trying to keep the caramel on the fruit, not in the pan). Sprinkle with a little salt and cinnamon.
When the chicken is ready, it should be almost falling off the bone and the sauce thick and not too watery. Taste for seasoning. Serve the chicken with the caramelised persimons, coriander and sesame seeds on top.

Sam and I would serve this with chickpeas and spinach braised with garlic.