Traditional Bahraini Muhammar Sweet Rice Dish Food

TRADITIONAL BAHRAINI MUHAMMAR - SWEET RICE DISH

Steps:

• Soak together saffron, cardamom, cloves, and rosewater; leave aside to steep.
• Add rice to 6 cups of lightly salted boiling water: boil to half cooked - about 8 minutes; drain.
• Stir sugar through the hot rice.
• Heat the ghee or butter in the same pan the rice was boiled and add the sweetened rice. Sprinkle the rose water mix on top.
• Cover the rim of pan with a cloth or paper towels and place lid on tightly.
• Cook over very low heat about 20-25 minutes. Transfer to serving platter.
• Top with melted butter.

MUHAMMAR (BAHRAIN)

Steps:

• Mix saffron into rose water
• Boil 6 cups of water on the stove in a large saucepan. Once boiling, add rice. Mix well, then cook for about 8 minutes, uncovered. Rice should only be about half cooked. Drain.
• Heat 1/3 cup of ghee in the saucepan. Add rice.
• Pour sugar, honey, cardamom, saffron, and rose water over the rice and mix.
• Use the handle end of a wooden spoon to put three holes in the rice mixture. Coat paper towels in water and lay around the rim of the pot. Once the lid is on, this will create steam to help cook the rice.
• Cover and cook the rice on a very low heat for 10-15 minutes. Do not stir.
• Transfer to serving platter and pour 1/4 cup of melted ghee over the rice. Pieces of the rice should be crunchy! Enjoy!

BAHRAINI SWEET RICE (MUHAMMAR)

Steps:

• Combine, saffron, freshly ground cardamom and rose water in a small cup.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil with sea salt to taste. Add the rice and boil uncovered for precisely 8 minutes, then drain.
• Mix the date molasses with the rice, then mix in the rose water mixture.
• Choose a medium sized heavy bottomed pot (I use a cast iron pan, see intro). Melt the butter in it over medium heat. Add 2 spatula-fulls of rice and mix with the butter, patting down to cover the bottom of the dish. Pile the reminder of the rice in a loose cone shape and poke a few holes in the rice with the spoon handle. Sprinkle a few tablespoons of water over the rice, then cover tightly. Place over medium low heat and let cook for 20-25 minutes. Keep a close eye at the end as the rice can burn (use your nose to see if it begins to smell burned).
• The easiest way to unmold the rice is to prepare a sinkful of cold water, dip the bottom of the pot in cold water for about 30 seconds, then invert the pot onto a serving platter. If the rice crust does not release fully, simply break up the crunchy pieces that stuck to the pot and scatter over top.
• Serve with recipe#443922 or a Gulf Arabian fish or shrimp dish.
• Enjoy!