Chicken Kabsa

Today, I am sharing with you a Middle Eastern dish that is very famous in So many Arabic countries and considered a stable in Saudi Arabia, national Saudi dish called Kabsa! its is a rice based dish that can be made with chicken, meat or even fish.

I chose to make an Authentic Saudi recipe and to use chicken, as we like it more than any other meat. The traditional way to prepare Kabsa is by allowing the chicken to simmer slowly in a spicy broth of tomatoes and spices,but today I chose to make it my way! which is cooking the chicken in an oven pan tray,inside the oven mixed with special Kabsa spices, fresh tomatoes and tomato sauce! the result is very moist and more tender chicken! and in this way I get a very distinguished amazing flavor for my Kabsa chicken!

The chicken broth is used to cook the rice and the final result is a mouth-watering! Aromatic dish which smells lemony and spicy. Yum Yum! :)

Now for the Spices,its the whole story! if you want a real authentic Kabsa flavor, then you have to use its special spices, sometimes it is hard to find them all, because they are found in specific markets. Even here in UAE where i live, sometimes i can't get them all :(

But even though, still I can get a very delicious Kabsa dish with the spices available :)

Kabsa is like the Arab version of Biryani and much similar to Mandi, a Yemeni dish. Mandi is made in a vessel that is half buried like an earthen oven in the ground. Kabsa in made on a stove in the kitchen.

There are quite a few variations to how Kabsa is made, but as i mentioned I will make it my way, and I hope you try it! I am sure You gonna be surprised how much it tasted so gooooood! ^_^

So, lets get into action Kabsa lovers!

الوصفة باللغه العربية اضغط هنا

Chicken Kabsa

Ingredients :

1 whole chicken with skin and bones, cut into 4 pieces washed and cleaned.

3 cups of long grain rice (like Basmati) soaked in salted water for 15 minutes, and drained well.

1 big size onion, chopped

2 small size garlic cloves, finely chopped

6 fresh tomatoes peeled and chopped

2 Bell pepper (green and yellow), chopped

2 medium sized peeled carrots , grated.

Chicken Spices are :

Kabsa Spices( 1 Tbspoon dried Coriander seeds, 6 cardamom pods, 4 small rounded red chili dried(Andhra), 1 tspoon black pepper seeds, 1 Tbspoon dried cumin seeds, 5 cloves,2 pieces dried ginger ,some of Sheebah leaves*, 2 pieces of dried O'ood Al Laham*)

2 Cinnamon sticks

2 bay leaves

1 tspoon ginger powder

2 Lomi pieces (dried lime)

1 tspoon all spice powder (gram masala)

Salt as desired

2 Tbspoons of of tomato paste

Rice Spices :

1 tspoon Kapsa powder spices

Salt as desired.

For Kabsa Topping :

1 Tbspoon vegetable oil

1 onion half wings chopped

1/4 cup dried raisins

1 tspoon of mix powder spices

1/4 tspoon salt

For Garnishing : blanched and halved fried almonds,or fried pine nuts.

Directions :

- In An oven tray pan put 2 Table spoons Olive oil, the chopped onion,garlic, only half quantity of fresh chopped tomatoes, the chicken Kabsa spices, Lomi, cinnamon sticks and bay leaves. keep aside.

- In small deep bowl mix together tomato paste, all spices powder(gram masala), ginger powder and salt, then rub chicken pieces with this mixture paste.

- Lay chicken pieces into the oven tray, add 2.5 cups water,then cover chicken tray with aluminium foil and cook inside heated oven at 190-200 Celsius tell chicken is done.

- Transfer cooked chicken into separate dish, drain chicken broth using a strainer. you will use it to cook the rice with later.

- Measure the broth, notice that for every cup of rice that you are using, you will need one and a half cup of water. If the broth is not enough then you can add some water to make it equal to what you need.

- Now to prepare kabsa rice, in a medium pot over medium heat add 2 Tbspoons vegetable oil, the second half of chopped tomatoes, grated carrots, coloured bell pepper, and stir for a minute then add chicken broth and water,Kabsa powder spices, and salt as desired. Make heat high.

-When the water starts to boil, add the drained rice to it, stir slowly then Let it cook on medium high till the water reduces and it becomes difficult to stir,reduce heat to the lowest degree,close the lid tightly, and let it steam for 15 minutes tell rice is cooked well.

- Meanwhile, to prepare kabsa topping, in a pan over low heat add vegetable oil, and fry chopped onion tell it becomes little soft and transparent stirring continuously, add raisins, mix powder spices and salt. Stir for 2 minutes then turn heat off.

- Serve rice with the chicken on top, add Kabsa topping and garnish with almonds or pin nuts. You can serve kabsa with fresh Arabic vegetable salad or Yogurt.

Bon Appétit :)

** If it was Hard to get Sheebah laeavs and O'ood AL Laham Spices, then skip them.