Khao Mok Gai
Weeknight-friendly Thai cooking: Khao Mok Gai comes together in 60 minutes with chicken drumsticks, basmati rice, and not much else.
✓ USDA-verified nutrition data
588 calories
68g protein
43g carbs
17g fat
3g fiber
Ingredients
- 2 lb Chicken drumsticks
- 2 cups Basmati rice
- 1/2 cup Plain yogurt
- 3 tbsp Khao mok curry powder
- 1 tsp Turmeric
- 1/2 cup Fried shallots
- 1 Cucumber
- 1/2 cup Mint chutney
Steps
- Marinate the chicken in yogurt, khao mok powder, turmeric, and salt 20 minutes — the yogurt tenderizes while the spices stain the rice its signature gold.
- Sear the chicken until golden on all sides; set aside.
- Fry the drained rice in the chicken fat 2 minutes until translucent at the edges, then add water and the chicken back on top.
- Cover and cook on low 20 minutes until the rice is tender and has drunk up every drop.
- Rest 10 minutes off the heat with the lid on — the steam finish matters.
- Fluff the rice, shower with fried shallots, and serve with cucumber and the sweet-spicy green mint dipping sauce.
- Thailand’s answer to biryani, born of Persian traders and perfected in Bangkok’s Muslim quarter.