Kabseh Rice Food

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.

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.

AL KABSA - TRADITIONAL SAUDI RICE (& MEAT) DISH

Steps:

• Fry meat until browned on all sides. Add enough water to the pot so that it covers the meat by 1.5"-2", bring to a boil then cook gently over medium heat for 1 1/2 - 2 hours or until tender. Reserve stock & set meat aside.
• Soak rice for 15 minutes. Drain, rise under running water then drain well.
• Add butter to a large stock pot or casserole, fry the onion, pepper, carrot & spices. Cook on low heat for about 10 minutes, or until tender.
• Add rice to vegetables in the pot, cook for 5 minutes on medium heat. Add meat stock until stock covers rice (approx 1.5" above rice). Cover pot. Cook on low heat for 30 minutes or until tender - add a little more stock or water if rice seems to become dry.
• Sauce:.
• Fry onion, garlic and tomato in the butter. Add tomato paste, celery, salt, cinnamon, water & stock cube. Cook on medium heat until slightly thickened and celery is tender.
• Serve in a large dish or on a platter. Place the rice first, top with meat & garnish with pine nuts. Serve the sauce in a jug with a spoon. Saudies enjoy kabsa with a hot sauce called 'shattah' -- .

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).

MIDDLE EASTERN KIBBEH

Steps:

• Place bulgur in a microwave-safe bowl and cover with water just to the top of the bulgur. Place in the microwave and cook on High 1 to 2 minutes until bulgur is swollen and the water is absorbed. Toss briefly and allow to stand until cool.
• Place the mint leaves in the bowl of a food processor. Process, gradually adding onion through the feed tube, until both mint and onion are finely chopped. Stir the mint-onion mixture into the bulgur, with the cumin, allspice, salt, and pepper. Stir the bulgur mixture into the ground lamb and mix thoroughly. Using damp hands, shape the lamb mixture into small, palm-sized patties.
• Place the olive oil in a skillet and heat over medium heat. Add the kibbeh patties and cook until outside is golden brown and center is cooked through, turning once, about 6 minutes on each side.