What you do
Make the rub – heat a small frying pan and roast the cumin, cardamom, black pepper and garlic together for 30 seconds. Tip into a grinder and process to a powder. Tip into a bowl and add the other spices and mix well. Use half of the olive oil to rub all over the chicken. Sprinkle the rub liberally all over the chicken, patting it on and any excess can be used inside the chicken cavity.
Line a roasting tin with baking parchment, put the onions and garlic in the bottom and mix with the remaining olive oil. Put the chicken on top, breast side down and roast in a preheated oven at 160c fan/180c/gas 4 for 50 minutes. Or roast on BBQ SET AT 200C FOR ABOUT 1 HOUR- FINISH INTERNAL TEMP 75C.
Remove from the oven and carefully turn the chicken over and place back in the oven. Increase the heat to 180c fan/200c/gas 6 and roast for 15 minutes. Mix the glaze together, then brush it over the chicken and roast for a further 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, cover loosely with foil and rest for 15-20 minutes. Cut the chicken into joints of legs, thighs and breast into 3 portions each, along with the wings.
Spoon the onions and sauce (include any resting juices) in a bowl to serve at the table; sprinkle the chicken with the parsley, pistachio nuts and pomegranate seeds.
Spiced Chicken with Pomegranate and Date Molasses
1 large, whole chicken/ or 4 large chicken breasts
2 large onions, each cut into 8 wedges
4 large garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil
Rub
2 rounded teaspoon cumin
2 cardamom pods
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons garlic granules
1½. level teaspoon sea salt
1 ½ level teaspoon cinnamon
2 rounded teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon Kashmiri Chilli powder
4 tablespoons olive oil
Glaze
3 tablespoons date molasses
2 tablespoons Pomegranate molasses
To finish – gremolata
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon fresh pomegranate seeds
1 dessertspoon chopped pistachio nuts