Al Kabsa - Traditional Saudi Rice (& Chicken) Dish

"Al Khabsa / Khabsa is very traditional. It can be made with many variations - this is just one of them - I hope to post more! Use chicken for this recipe, my others have lamb instead.....I have revised the recipe as of 09/02/09, although when I cook it the amounts are correct - perhaps it's the rice I use?"
 
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photo by Jonathan Melendez photo by Jonathan Melendez
photo by Jonathan Melendez
photo by Jonathan Melendez photo by Jonathan Melendez
photo by Jonathan Melendez photo by Jonathan Melendez
photo by Rmah D. photo by Rmah D.
photo by Um Safia photo by Um Safia
Ready In:
1hr 40mins
Ingredients:
23
Serves:
8-10
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ingredients

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directions

  • 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).

Questions & Replies

  1. Hi! At the end of the recipe is the Kabsa spice mix, but it's not mentioned anywhere in the recipe. What do we do with it?
     
  2. What type of rice to use in kabsa
     
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Reviews

  1. The flavor of this was terrific, but 4 cups of water is too much, the rice was a pile of mush. I salvaged the chicken and did the rice again using all the spices, 2 cups rice, and 3 and 1/4 cups chicken stock. It was perfect that way. I really love the smell of this when it is cooking. Thanks Um Safia!
     
  2. supppppppppppppppperrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
     
  3. This was a total hit in mmy house even my daughter ate it.
     
  4. Shukran, ya Um Safia! This recipe was a great success and reminded us of 18 happy years spent in Saudi Arabia!
     
  5. What a great, easy meal. I used chicken thigh fillets, so didn't cook the chicken for 30 mins before adding everything else. Worked perfectly & the result was nice and tender. I didn't add raisins due to personal preference, but otherwise followed the recipe. Thanks Um Safia for a lovely meal that we'll definitely have again.
     
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Tweaks

  1. 5 stars. A really tasty recipe masha Allah which FIL, MIL, DH, etc enjoyed served with daqoos (Kuwaiti tomato sauce, recipe to be posted) & recipe#149565 plus recipe#339985 and other juice. I use canned plum tomatoes which I chop up and also for the tomato puree I whizzed them in a blender and cooked with some garlic and extra virgin olive oil. I love the addition of the grated carrots in this. I do not use nutmeg because of it's intoxicant properties. I just added bruised whole cardamom pods for the ground, regular black pepper instead of the white, instead of ground allspice I use my own Recipe #79179, a replacement I commonly make. I did not used ground loomi as I didn't have any but instead of using a chicken stock cube I use my own homemade chicken stock which does contain loomi simmered in whole to replace the water and be gluten and corn free. I cook the rice with enough of the liquid needed depending on rice quantity. I intend to make this again and broil the chicken in the oven like my SIL does (skin still on), flipping part way through & adding a little sea salt after.
     

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ABOVE: My eldest, Talha with his 'Zaar Star! I'm 29 years old and have been cooking since I was old enough to wield a wooden spoon! My Mum is a fantastic cook and both my Grandmas were great cooks too. I've also had the pleasure of working in two commercial kitchens - one which I ran and the other I was second chef of. You can find me lurking in the NA*ME (North Africa / Middle East) Forum where I am a host: http://www.recipezaar.com/bb/viewforum.zsp?f=59 and also in the Cooking for Kids Forum where I am co-host: http://www.recipezaar.com/bb/viewforum.zsp?f=34 <style>body { background: url(http://i714.photobucket.com/albums/ww141/Um_Safia/seamless%20tiles/seamlesstile1.jpg);background-repeat: repeat; }</style> I am fortunate enough to have 2 children of my own now and enjoy cooking with my eldest who is almost 8 years old. My daughter is almost 3 & has now started joining me in the kitchen & 'helping'. She likes to stand on a chair next to me, give instructions & stir. 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