Authentic Arabic & Levantine Recipes
Kabsa Recipe: Saudi Spiced Basmati Rice with Chicken and Black Lime
Kabsa is the signature dish of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf, made by simmering chicken or lamb in a fragrant tomato broth infused with kabsa spice mix and dried black limes (loomi). Long-grain basmati rice is then steamed in the same spiced stock and served piled high with browned chicken, toasted almonds and raisins.
Also known as:Saudi chicken kabsaKabsah recipeGulf spiced rice and chicken
Servings6
Prep time20 min
Cook time55 min
Ingredients
Add all ingredients to cart- 1 kg chicken cut into 4 pieces
- 500 g long-grain basmati rice (such as Sella 1121), rinsed and soaked for 20 minutes
- 2 tbsp ground kabsa spice mix
- 2 dried black limes (loomi, pierced), 1 cinnamon stick, 5 cardamom pods, 4 cloves and 2 bay leaves
- 2 finely chopped onions, 3 grated tomatoes, 1 tbsp tomato paste and 3 crushed garlic cloves
- 1 grated carrot and 1 whole green chilli
- 2 tbsp ghee and salt to taste
- Blanched almonds and raisins toasted in ghee to garnish
Preparation Steps
- 1Melt the ghee in a large pot and sauté the chopped onions with the cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, cloves, bay leaves and pierced black limes for 5 minutes until softened and fragrant.
- 2Add the garlic, chicken pieces and ground kabsa spice and sear for 5 minutes, then stir in the grated tomatoes, tomato paste, salt and about 1 litre of hot water and simmer covered for 25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
- 3Lift the chicken pieces out onto a baking tray, brush with a little stock or ghee and broil under the oven grill for 5 minutes until golden brown.
- 4Stir the drained basmati rice, grated carrot and whole green chilli into the boiling kabsa stock (making sure the liquid sits 1 cm above the rice, topping up with hot water if needed), cover tightly and steam over very low heat for 15 minutes; fluff onto a platter and top with the roasted chicken, almonds and raisins.
