Romanian Pilaf with Chicken and Vegetables

Chicken stock:

1. Place the chicken parts into a large soup pot. Add the onion, carrot, celeriac or celery sticks, bay leaves, all-spice corns, and 2 liters/ 8 ½ cups water. Bring to a slow simmer.
2. Simmer for about 30 minutes for the breasts and 40-50 minutes for the legs (check to see if they are cooked through).
3. You could add one or two cubes (to taste) of chicken stock to the broth; it will increase the flavor.
4. Shred chicken: When the meat is cooked, remove it from the pot and set it aside. Discard the vegetables and the spices; you can keep the carrot, slice it and add it to the pilaf together with the meat. When cool enough to handle, remove the skin and the bones and shred the meat into smaller pieces. Set aside.

Pilaf:

1. In the meantime, start cooking the pilaf. Measure the needed stock and keep it warm all the time; you can leave the pot on a low heat source for the entire cooking process. I use a jug pot for this recipe, it makes pouring easier.
2. Prepare vegetables: Chop the onions finely. Slice the carrots and chop the red bell pepper into fine strips.
3. Cook onions: Heat the oil in a medium heavy-bottomed pot. Add the onions and cook them gently until translucent. Add 120 ml/ ½ cup chicken stock and stir. Turn the heat down to low and cook the onions, uncovered, for about 5 minutes.
4. Add the carrots and the peppers and cook gently for another 5 minutes, stirring a few times in between. Add another 120 ml/ ½ cup chicken stock and let it bubble away for a further 5 minutes or so.
5. Add the unwashed short-grain rice and stir well for about 2-3 minutes. Add 500 ml/ 2 cups of the chicken stock and stir well. Cook gently for another 5 minutes, and add some salt.
6. Add stock: Now, it will be a bit like making a risotto, without continuous stirring. Start adding the remaining stock (about 1 liter/ 4 cups left) little by little, stirring well after each addition.
7. Cook pilaf: Cover the pot, leaving a crack open, and cook the rice for about 50 minutes, making sure that you add some stock and stir regularly every 5 minutes or so.
8. Add chicken: After 30 minutes, add the chicken (and the leftover cooked carrot if you wish), stir well, and continue adding the stock and stirring for further 20 minutes or until the rice is soft and sticky.If the liquid is not enough, you can add more from the pot or more water if you are out of chicken stock.
9. Adjust the taste with salt and pepper and sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.
10. It is best served immediately, but it can easily be reheated on low heat with the addition of some more chicken stock.