Arabian Kabsa

Historically, Kabsa was crafted by Bedouin tribes who traversed the deserts of the Arabian Peninsula. They utilized simple, readily available ingredients: rice, meat (typically lamb or chicken), and a blend of spices. As one of the most popular and traditional Arabic dishes, and the national dish of Saudi Arabia, Kabsa is widely available across the country, from Jeddah to Riyadh.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 1 30

Course Main Course

Cuisine Arabian

Ingredients

2 cup onions sliced
1 tbsp garlic paste
1 tbsp ginger paste
green chilli
2 pcs dry bay leaves
12/14 pcs black paper
12/14 pcs cardamon
12/14 pcs cloves
2 pcs Star anise
1 pcs tomato large size
4 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp coriander
1 tbsp white pepper powder
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp mace
1/2 tbsp dry Lemon rind
2 whole dry lemon
salt
water
3+1 tbsp butter
2 kg chicken
3 cup rice, rinsed
15 pcs cashew nut

Instructions

Kabsa Spice Mix

Combine cloves, cinnamon, star anise, black pepper, nutmeg, mice, cardamom, lemon rind. Roast and grind them together. Set aside.

For Chicken

Heat a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and then add the onion, bay leaves, 4 cloves, 4 cardamom pods, and a cinnamon stick. Cook for 2-3 minutes.
Then add ginger, garlic, and green chilies, followed by the chopped tomato, tomato paste, cumin, and coriander. Add the ground spices and season with salt. Add 2 tablespoons of water. Mix, cover and cook it all together for 5/7 minutes.
Add the chicken and fry for 5 minutes on each side. Then add 3 cups of water, cover, and cook for 25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. After that, remove the whole spices from the broth and set the broth aside. Remove the chicken.

For Rice

Add the rice to the broth pan and pour in 3 cups of water (add more if needed). Season with salt. Bring it to a rolling boil for 5 minutes before covering and simmering on low heat for 15-20 minutes. make sure you don’t add too much water to prevent it from turning mushy.
In a separate pan, add 1 tablespoon of butter and fry the nuts until golden brown, then remove the nuts. Add the chicken to the pan and fry until the color turns brown.This will give the chicken pieces a nice crispy outer layer.

For Assembly

Transfer the cooked rice to a large serving platter and place the chicken on top. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley and toasted cashew nut for added crunch and flavor.

Now, serve with fresh salad, or yogurt, and enjoy!

Notes

To achieve rice perfection, use the ideal water ratio to 4 cups of water to 2 cup of rice.

If you feel your rice is undercooked, a simple trick is to add a touch of water and allow it to steam on medium heat. This gentle process can perform wonders