Saudi Arabian Kabsa Recipes

KABSA

Steps:

• Place chicken thighs, drumsticks, and breasts into a large pan and pour in 6 cups water; stir in 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup chopped onion, bay leaves, and cinnamon sticks. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer until chicken is tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove chicken, strain the broth, and retain 4 cups of broth.
• While chicken is simmering, rinse basmati rice thoroughly until water runs clear. Place into a bowl and mix in 1 1/2 teaspoon salt, cardamom pods, whole cloves, nutmeg, baharat spice mix, 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and black pepper. Let the rice sit while you complete remaining steps.
• Soak golden raisins with 1/3 cup water in a small bowl. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil with 1 tablespoon butter in a large pan. Cook and stir 2 cups onion with tomatoes until vegetables soften, about 10 minutes. Mix in the seasoned rice and cook until rice grains are hot, 2 to 3 minutes; pour in reserved 4 cups of chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Mix in soaked golden raisins. Place 3 tablespoons butter into the pan, let melt, and turn heat to low; simmer covered until rice is tender, about 45 minutes.
• Tear chicken meat off the bones into bite-size pieces. Spread the rice onto a large serving platter and distribute cooked chicken over the rice to serve.

KABSA ARABIAN RICE

Steps:

• Marinate the rinsed and drained chicken with coriander powder, chilli powder and black pepper powder (optionally you can add 2 Tbsp ginger-garlic paste to this). Set aside while other ingredients are prepped.
• Combine the spice powders together for the Baharat (Spice Mix). And set aside the additional whole spices if you would like more spice.
• Chop the onion, garlic, and tomatoes.
• Heat the oil/butter in a medium pan (pan1) and saute the onion and garlic till softened. Add ginger if using.
• Saute, adding some salt to draw out moisture.
• Simultaneously: In another pan (pan2), heat some butter and fry the marinated chicken, just till crust is a pale golden color on both sides.
• When the onions in (pan1 ) are nicely sautéed: (soft and golden), add the chopped tomatoes as well as tomato paste and cook till all moisture evaporates (The tomatoes are reduced to a pulp).
• Add the Bahar/ Baharat spices (powdered), reserving some of the chilli flakes/powder for later.
• Also, add the dried lime (loomi). Stir well.
• Transfer the sauteed onion mixture from ( pan1) to a larger pot (pot1), (rice cooker pot is good).
• Remove the golden chicken pieces from (pan2) (reserving the butter/oil in the pan used for frying the chicken for later.
• Add these chicken pieces to (pot 1), over the sauteed onion mixture and continue cooking just for a minute, stirring gently till the chicken is nicely coated with the sauteed ingredients.
• When the oil separates, add salt and stock(or water).
• Bring to boil. Cover (pot1) with a lid, and cook for 10 minutes for chicken without skin / 20 minutes for chicken with skin. (Also Preheat oven to 180º C, now).
• Remove the chicken pieces and two large ladles of the stock from (pot1) to the pan previously used for sautéing the onions (pan1).
• (Pan1): Heat the chicken with this small amount of gravy, till the gravy evaporates, forming a thick sauce around the chicken (only 1-minute max - on high heat). You may like to add more tomato paste at this point if you like the flavor. Place the chicken pieces on baking tray.
• Broil the chicken pieces in the preheated oven for 10 minutes at around 180º C. Baste with a tiny bit of butter. The skin should get a golden and crisp (not applicable for skinless chicken).
• Reheat the butter left from frying the chicken in (pan 2). Fry the drained rice in this briefly, stirring to coat the grains evenly. (Add the whole spices under the Baharat spice mix to this rice if you would like to flavor the rice further - optional).
• Add the rice to the pot of simmering gravy (pot1). Cover and cook till done (water runs dry).
• Immediately, fluff up the rice with a fork, adding a little butter if desired.
• Squeeze a little lemon juice on the broiled chicken pieces.
• Top the fragrant rice with the broiled chicken, boiled eggs, coriander or parsley leaves, lime wedges and toasted nuts and raisins - as desired.

CHICKEN KABSA RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400ºF (200ºC).
• Place chicken pieces in a bowl, using your hands rub chicken with vegetable oil until well covered. Place on a try and bake for 30 minutes.
• Mix all spices and salt in a small bowl.
• Rinse the rice in a sieve with running water until water runs clear.
• Meanwhile melt butter in a pan, saute onions, and garlic until translucent and soft. Add diced tomatoes, and tomato paste. Create sauce.
• Add the chicken and stir until well coated with the tomato sauce.
• Add rice and spices. Mix well.
• Add chicken broth, and bring to a boil.
• Reduce heat to a simmer. Cover loosely, leaving a gap for steam to escape.
• Cook for roughly 20 minutes until you have cooked the rice.
• Toast slivered almonds in a pan over medium high heat until browned.
• Spoon rice onto a serving dish placing the chicken pieces on top. Sprinkle with browned almonds, raisins, and a pinch of black pepper.
• Add more salt and pepper to taste.

AL KABSA - TRADITIONAL SAUDI RICE (& CHICKEN) DISH

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large stock pot, casserole or dutch oven. Add chicken pieces, onion & garlic & sauté until onion is tender. Stir in tomato puree & simmer over a low heat for a couple of minutes.
• Add tomatoes, carrots, cloves, all the spices & salt and pepper. Cook for a couple of minutes. Add the water & Maggi cube.
• Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover. Simmer over low heat for 30 minutes. Add rice to the pot & stir carefully. (if you're wanting to brown the chicken in the oven - remove it from the pot now & place in the preheated oven).
• Re-Cover & simmer for 35 - 40 minutes - adding the raisins for the last 10 minutes - or until rice is tender.
• Place the rice on a large serving dish, topped with the chicken & garnished with almonds. Serve with a fresh mixed salad - preferably with a little lime vinaigrette. Saudis like their Kabsa with a hot sauce called 'Shattah'.
• N.B: You can also 'finish' the chicken pieces off in the oven by cooking them for 25 - 30 minutes at 180 C whilst the rice is cooking. (but don't let them become dry).

AL KABSA - TRADITIONAL SAUDI RICE AND CHICKEN

Steps:

• Mix together the saffron, cardamom, cinnamon, allspice, white pepper, and lime powder in a small bowl, and set the spice mix aside.
• Melt the butter in a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in the garlic and onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken pieces and brown them over medium-high heat until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Mix in the tomato puree.
• Stir in the canned tomatoes with their juice, the grated carrots, whole cloves, nutmeg, cumin, coriander, salt, black pepper, and the Kabsa spice mix. Cook for about 3 minutes; pour in the water, and add the chicken bouillon cube.
• Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer and cover the pot. Simmer until chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear, about 30 minutes.
• Gently stir in the rice. Cover the pot and simmer until rice is tender and almost dry, about 25 minutes; add the raisins and a little more hot water, if necessary. Cover and cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes or until the rice grains are separate.
• Transfer the rice to a large serving platter and arrange the chicken pieces on top. Sprinkle the toasted slivered almonds over the dish.

SAUDI ARABIA KABSA RECIPE

Steps:

• In a cooking pot add oil. once the oil becomes hot add onion and garlic sliced. Fry until golden brown.
• Now add all mix whole spices saute just 1 min.
• Now add chicken pieces and fry make a light golden color. Add salt, chopped tomato, coriander, and cumin powder, tomato puree mix well, 2 min saute. once tomato soft add 2 glass hot water mix and cover-up 25 min cooking time.
• After 25 min takes it out the chicken for the baking dish and oven grill on to bake just 15 min for color.
• Now this remaining stock, add sock rice. Once rice soaks all stock, now cover-up and simmers 10 min.
• Now my soft fluffy rice is ready and grilled chicken served on top.

CHICKEN KABSA - ARABIAN RICE (MACHBOOS)

Steps:

• Soak the basmati rice before 30 minutes of cooking.
• Cut, clean, and wash the Chicken Pieces.
• Add oil in a heated pan.
• Place chopped onion in heated oil and saute for few minutes until the onion becomes translucent.
• Add grated ginger and garlic in onion and saute together.
• As the onion starts to change color then add chicken and cook on high heat.
• Continuous stir until the chicken starts to change color.
• Now season with salt, cardamom powder, cinnamon powder, black pepper, and garlic powder.
• Mix well and cook for few seconds to get rid of the spice rawness.
• Now add tomato paste and mix well.
• Add fresh tomato cubes (peeled skin and deseed).
• Cook well and stir until the tomatoes blend and start forming a gravy.
• Now add water and give it a good mix.
• Cover and cook for 20 minutes.
• After 20 minutes, take out the chicken and keep it in a baking dish to bake.
• Just bake the chicken for 10 minutes at 220 degrees to give it a nice golden color.
• In a gravy, add soaked rice and give it a gentle mix.
• Cover the pan and cook for 20 to 25 minutes until the rice cook on the stovetop.
• In the meanwhile, Boil the almonds and peel the skin.
• Roast the almonds and raisins.
• Pan-fry the shredded carrots and place on rice (optional)
• Now set the platter.
• In a big platter, place the rice and add the chicken on top.
• Topped with roasted almonds and raisins.

CHICKEN MACHBOOS (SAUDI ARABIAN KABSA)

Steps:

• Start by preheating the oven to 400F
• Finely dice the onion and crush the garlic
• To a large non-stick pot, add the oil and heat for 1 minute. Then add the onions and cook for 5 minutes until slightly softened
• Add the whole spices (cinnamon, cardamom, dry lime, and bay leaves) along with the crushed garlic and cook for a further 5 minutes
• Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, using a wooden spoon to smear the paste on the bottom of the pan and caramalize it
• Add the ground spices (salt, black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom and allspice) as well as the tomato sauce and 1 cup of water. Allow to simmer for 3 minutes
• Add the washed chicken legs and cover them in the sauce mixture. Cover the pot and allow to cook for 20 minutes, flipping the chicken halfway through
• Wash and rinse the rice several times until the water runs clear
• Remove the chicken legs, sprinkle with extra salt and pepper (if desired) and place them on a baking sheet lined with foil. To finish cooking them, bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes until juices run clear. Broil for 2 minutes to crisp the skin
• Add the rice to the pot along with the remaining 3.5 cups of water. Mix well but gently to incorporate the rice. Cover and bring to a boil for 1 minute. Once boiling, keep the rice covered, lower the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. Do not uncover the rice before the 20 minutes
• Turn off the heat and let the rice stand for 5 minutes
• Toast the pine nuts in a skillet with 1/2 tablespoon of vegetable oil on medium heat, stirring constantly until golden. This should take no more than 5 minutes
• Remove the nuts and add the raisins using the same pan. Stir on high heat for 1-2 minutes to heat through and slightly caramelize
• Open the pot and fluff the rice with a fork. Serve in a large dish, with the chicken legs on top and garnish with the pine nuts/almonds and raisins

FISH KABSA (SAUDI)

Steps:

• In a large pan on medium heat add butter, onions and garlic; cook until tender. Add Arabic spice mix, mix well. Carefully add fish and allow to cook halfway on each side until lightly pink-white. About 1 minute or less on each side. Remove fish/onion mixture and set aside.
• Add tomato paste and bullion cube to pan, cook a little then add rice and water. Carefully place fish mixture on top. Raise heat to high and allow to come to a full boil, cover and reduce to low. Allow to cook until rice and fish are thoroughly cooked. Depending on the thickness of the fish fillets and the rice type, adjust timing.
• Once done, arrange fish kabsa on a serving platter and decorate top with cilantro and pine nuts.
• Serve with a fresh salad.
• Enjoy!

SAUDI KABSA CHICKEN AND RICE

Steps:

• Soak rice in water (room temperature)
• Cut up the onion into thin slices and add to a big pot, with the canola or vegetable oil. Saute on medium high heat for about 12 minutes, or until golden and translucent.
• Add the chicken to the pot, and cook for a few minutes, then add all the spices, the tomato paste, diced tomatoes, and orange zest. Give it all a stir.
• Add the boiling water to the pot, and leave it to boil on medium heat for 25 minutes.
• After 25 minutes, drain the rice. Remove the chicken from the pot, and place it in a pan or a baking sheet, and broil in the oven on low for about 8 minutes.
• Add the rice to the pot with the chicken stock and all the spices.Give it one quick stir, and place it on low heat for about 25 minutes. Do not stir the rice while it's cooking until all the water has evaporated.
• While the rice is cooking, toast the almonds using oil in a fry pan.
• To assemble and serve. Plate the rice in a serving plate, place the chicken pieces on top, and garnish with toasted almonds.