1. Onions: peel and thinly slice. 2. Cloves garlic: peel and mince. 3.Tomatoes: Use a sharp knife to cut a small "X" on the bottom (the non-stem end) of each tomato. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Carefully place the tomatoes in the boiling water and let them blanch for about 15-20 seconds or until you see the skin starting to wrinkle or peel back near the "X" cut. Avoid leaving them in too long to prevent cooking the tomato. Chop tomatoes. 4. Saffron: soak in 1 tablespoon of warm water. 5. Chop cilantro, parsley and basil. 6. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onions and cook over medium heat until they’re soft and slightly golden, about 5 minutes. 7. Add the chicken pieces and cook until they are lightly golden brown on all sides, about 5–7 minutes. 8. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. 9. Add the chopped tomatoes to the pot, stirring. Cook for 5–10 minutes until the tomatoes start to break down and release their juices. 10. Add the ground coriander, Hungarian paprika, hot paprika, and saffron (with its soaking water). Stir to combine, then season with salt and black pepper to taste. 11. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and let it simmer gently for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and fully cooked. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and ensure the chicken absorbs the flavors. 12. If use potatoes: peel, wash and cut into large pieces. Add potatoes to a pot and stir. Cover and let simmering 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. If not using potatoes, just let chicken to simmer additional 20 minutes. 13. Stir in the fresh cilantro, parsley, and basil. 14. Let it cook for an additional 5 minutes to allow the herbs to infuse their flavor. 15. Serve the chakhokhbili hot with Georgian bread or rice, garnished with extra herbs if desired.

   Some words before pilaf making. I prefer ready sliced carrot. Just because it faster. But if you want you can cut it by yourself. Spices... Again, usually I buy some ready spices for pilaf in Russian store but you have to know what spices go in there, so as not to depend on whether there is a Russian store nearby or not. :) Mandatory spices: coriander, sweet red pepper, black pepper and zira. And optional, but I really like to add them: saffron, turmeric and barberry. Everything should be put to your taste. Okay, you can start. :) 1. Wash the rice in cold water, pour cold water (water should be 1 cm above the rice) and set aside for now. 2. Heat a cup of butter in a deep pan on medium heat. (To understand that the oil warmed up you need to dip a wooden spoon into the oil. If the oil is heated, bubbles will appear around the spoon.) 3. Add the chicken pieces to the butter and mix. The oil will become cloudy. Fry the chicken, stirring occasionally, until the oil is clear again. 4. Add chopped onions and stir all together. Fry for about 5 minutes. 5. Add chopped carrots and fry for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. 6. Spread chicken with carrots and onions with a spatula and lay the rice on top straight with water and smooth with a spatula. Again, the water should be 1 cm above the level of rice. So you may have to pour water. DO NOT MIX !!! 7. When the water boils, reduce the heat (somewhere between medium and low) and wait until all the water disappears. 8. Periodically poke pilaf with a wooden spatula to check if there is still water. 9. Wash garlic (whole head) in cold water. When all the water disappears, add spices and salt to the pilaf, mix everything well. 10. Stick the garlic head in the middle of the pilaf, cover the pilaf with the lid, turn off the heat and let stand for 10-15 minutes. 11. Enjoy your meal!