Preheat oven to 260°C (500°F)

Wash and drain the rice, set aside

Chop the onions then sauté the onions over high heat in the oil, stirring quickly, until they become brown (5-10 min)

Add the chicken to the pan and sprinkle with salt. Cook the chicken over medium-high heat for 6 min,turning from time to time so all sides turn golden brown. The onions will start to caramelise and turn into a thick sauce

Add 60 ml of chicken broth, and continue stirring to prevent the chicken from burning. Once the liquid has been absorbed, add another 60 ml broth and bring to boil. Cover with a lid or aluminum foil and simmer for 10 min

In the meantime, cut the carrots into long thick sticks, about 10 cm long and 3 cm thick. In a large frying pan bring 180 ml of water to boil, add the carrots and cook until tender and a deep orange hue, 5 to 7 min. Do not overcook

Once the carrots are cooked, drain any leftover liquid off the pan. Add 2 tablespoons of oil, raisins, almonds and sugar to the carrots. Stir quickly over medium-high heat for about 3 min. The raisins will look plump; the carrots will take on a nice sweet flavor. Remove from heat and package the carrots into a sealed aluminum foil pouch about the size of a small paperback novel.

Remove the chicken pieces from the broth and set aside. Stir the cumin, cardamom and black pepper into the broth. Continue to cook on low heat for 5 min to allow it to thicken

In a large dutch oven pot, bring the water and salt to a boil. Add the rice to the water and boil until it is al dente. This will take just a few minutes depending on the rice you use. You will have to taste it to check. Do not overcook it

Immediately strain the rice through a colander. Put the rice back into the cooking pot and add the sauce from the chicken. Stir well. Arrange the chicken pieces on top of the rice. Set the aluminum package of carrots on top of the rice. This will keep the carrots warm and deepen the flavors without mixing with the rice yet

Bake the rice for 15 min in 260°C. Lower to 120°C (250°F) and cook for another 20 min

Arrange the chicken pieces on a large platter, cover with the rice. Sprinkle the carrots, raisins, and almonds on the rice. Serve with a simple salad