Bahrain Food Dishes Recipes

RECIPE: THE NATIONAL DISH OF BAHRAIN - MACHBOOS

Steps:

• Grind the garlic cloves, ginger, green chili, mint leaves and half of the coriander leaves. Soak saffron in rose water. Soak the rice.
• Slice and then fry the onions lightly brown. Add the ground ingredients and fry well.
• Chop the tomatoes and the chili pepper and then add them followed by tomato paste and the green cardamoms, cinnamon, crushed dried lemons, black pepper, chili powder, Bharat powder, turmeric powder and crushed bay leaves. Fry the spices and add the chicken pieces. Add salt and enough water to cover the chicken.
• When the chicken is done (slightly soft), add the rice in and slowly stir adding the remaining coriander leaves and enough water to cook the rice. Be very careful when adding water because if you add too much the rice will be very soft. Add the saffron soaked in rose water, slowly stirring.
• Cover tightly and keep covered while cooking on low heat for 25-30 minutes.
• Start frying the carrot. Blanch the almonds and then add them to the frying pan together with the raisins
• Before serving stir the rice using a fork to separate the rice grains. The chicken should be intact. Garnish the dish with fried nuts, raisins and carrots.

CHICKEN MACHBOOS (BAHRAINI SPICED CHICKEN AND RICE)

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and fry the chicken pieces on both sides until the skin is brown and crispy. Transfer the chicken to a plate and leave the remaining oil in the Dutch oven.
• Add the ghee (or butter), reduce the heat to medium, and fry the onions until starting to brown, about 10-12 minutes.
• Add the ginger, garlic, and green chile pepper and saute for another 2 minutes.
• Add the baharat and turmeric and cook for another minute.
• Return the chicken pieces to the Dutch oven along with the tomatoes, dried limes, cardamom pods, cinnamon, ground cloves and salt. Add the chicken stock and stir to combine. Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for one hour.
• Add the cilantro, parsley and drained rice and stir to combine. Return it to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for another 15-20 minutes until the rice is done and has absorbed the liquid.
• Transfer the chicken and rice to a serving dish (either leave the chicken pieces tossed in with the rice, or place the chicken on top of the rice), and sprinkling with 1-2 tablespoons of rosewater (optional).
• Serve with a green salad and yogurt raita.

HALWA BAHRAINI

Steps:

• Infuse the saffron in 1 to 2 tablespoons of boiling water for at least 1 hour.

TRADITIONAL BAHRAINI CHICKEN MACHBOOS / MACHBOUS

Steps:

• Cut the chicken in half. Heat the water and leave aside. In a small bowl, mix the buharat, turmeric, cumin, and cardamom together and add to the mixture one teaspoon of salt. Sprinkle half of the spice mixture on the chicken halves.
• Heat oil in a large cooking pan, fry the onions until golden brown, then add to the pepper and the black limes - you MUST make a hole in each limes.
• Add the chicken to the onion mixture and turn it over a few times in the pan. Sprinkle on the chicken a teaspoon of cinnamon and the rest of the mixed spices. Turn the contents all together so the chicken is coated with the spices, cover the pan and let it cook on medium heat for 3 minutes.
• Add the garlic, chopped ginger, and tomato cubes to the pan and turn the ingredients in the pan a few times. Cover again for 3 minutes on medium heat. Sprinkle with the rest of the salt and pour on it water while its still hot.
• Cover the pan and let it cook for about 1 hour, or until the chicken is cooked. Add the copped coriander 5 minutes before you remove the chicken from the stock in the pan. While the chicken is cooking, wash the rice well and soak for 10 minutes in cold water, then drain.
• Remove the chicken from the pan and put on an oven tray, brush with some oil and sprinkle with the rest of the cinnamon powder and grill in the oven until the chicken is golden brown.
• Add the rice to the chicken stock, stir, then let it cook on low heat until the rice absorbs the stock and is almost done.
• Sprinkle rose water and lemon juice over the rice and place the butter pieces on the top. Cover the pan and cook on low heat for 30 minutes.
• Serve the rice on a large serving plate and place the grilled chicken halves on the top.