Al Kabsa - Traditional Saudi Rice and Chicken
This was the first Arabic dish I ever made and it turned out extremely delicious, a new favorite! Serve Al Kabsa with a fresh mixed cucumber, carrot, lettuce, and tomato salad -- preferably with a little lime vinaigrette. Some fresh pita bread on the side would be nice also. Saudis like their Kabsa with a hot sauce called 'Shattah'. Enjoy!
Servings per recipe: 8
Calories per serving: 528
Preparation time: 40m
Total cooking time: 2h 10m
Ingredients:
- Kabsa Spice Mix:
- 1/2 teaspoon saffron
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried whole lime powder
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 (3 pound) whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces
- 1/4 cup tomato puree
- 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 3 carrots, peeled and grated
- 2 whole cloves
- 1 pinch ground nutmeg
- 1 pinch ground cumin
- 1 pinch ground coriander
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 3 1/4 cups hot water
- 1 cube chicken bouillon
- 2 1/4 cups unrinsed basmati rice
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 1/4 cup toasted slivered almonds
Directions:
- 1 Mix together the saffron, cardamom, cinnamon, allspice, white pepper, and lime powder in a small bowl, and set the spice mix aside.
- 2 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.
- 3 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.
- 4 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.
- 5 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.
- 6 Transfer the rice to a large serving platter and arrange the chicken pieces on top. Sprinkle the toasted slivered almonds over the dish.
Nutrion facts:
| Total Fat | 21.2g | 33% |
| Saturated Fat | 8.0g | |
| Cholesterol | 88mg | 29% |
| Sodium | 423mg | 17% |
| Potassium | 432mg | 12% |
| Total Carbohydrates | 54.9g | 18% |
| Dietary Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Protein | 29.2g | 58% |
| Sugars | 7g | |
| Vitamin A | 4320IU | |
| Vitamin C | 13mg | |
| Calcium | 59mg | |
| Iron | 2mg | |
| Thiamin | 0mg | |
| Niacin | 8mg | |
| Vitamin B6 | 0mg | |
| Magnesium | 42mg | |
| Folate | 18mcg |
