Chicken Kabsa/ Traditional Saudi Rice and Chicken

I fell in love with this dish some years ago, when I ate a variation of it in Bangalore. On one of our shopping expeditions during our annual holiday, the irresistible aroma drew us into this restaurant where a massive pot was filled with rice and chicken. People were queueing up to buy it and we were no exception. We joined the queue and went back again and again to eat it. After that, my sister and I googled various recipes, tried it out numerous times and came up with one that satisfied our souls and filled our kitchen with enticing aromas. It is a bit tedious but well worth the effort and worthy of any celebration.

Kabsa is a fragrant, mixed rice dish that originates from Saudi Arabia but is commonly regarded as a national dish in many Arab states of the Persian Gulf. The dish is made with rice and meat and has crossed international borders. It is now in our house to stay. This is my version of it.

The Recipe:

2 kg chicken, washed, drained and cut into medium-sized pieces; 1 tbsp coriander powder; 1tsp chilli powder; 1 tsp pepper powder; 3 large onions, sliced fine; 1 large bulb garlic, minced; 1-inch ginger minced; 3 large tomatoes, chopped; 2 tbsp tomato paste; zest of 1 lemon; 2 tsp Spice Mix; 3 rice cooker cups basmati rice; boiled eggs for garnish, quartered; mint and coriander leaves for garnish; 2 tsp salt or to taste; 5 ¾ rice cooker cups chicken stock; 1-inch cinnamon; 3 cloves; 3 cardamoms; 3 tbsp oil

Spice Mix:

½ tsp cinnamon powder; ½ tsp cardamom powder; ½ tsp chilli flakes; ¼ tsp cloves; 1/4 tsp jeera/cumin seed powder

Method:

Marinade chicken in the chilli powder, pepper powder and the ginger garlic. Keep aside till required.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a non-stick pan, lower heat to medium and stir fry onions until golden brown. Add tomatoes and tomato paste and cook till soft. Add the spice mix and lemon zest to the tomatoes and gently mix. Cover and keep hot.

Heat another non-stick pan with 2 tbsp oil and pan fry the chicken till golden brown on both sides ( I used skinless chicken). Keep the pan with any oil that remains for cooking the rice later. Add the browned chicken pieces to the tomato-onion mixture and mix till all the pieces are coated with the mixture. Add 1 tsp salt and the stock. Bring to the boil, cover and cook for 10 minutes on medium heat.

Preheat oven to 180 Celcius/350 F.

Remove chicken pieces and 2 large spoons of stock ( the rest will be used to cook the rice later on) in the third deep pan and cook on high heat till liquid evaporates and sauce is thick and coats the chicken. Arrange chicken on a foil-covered tray and bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven.

Next, heat the pan in which the chicken was fried and add the washed and drained rice, 1 tsp salt to it along with the spices. Stir fry till all the grains are coated. Add the tomato-onion gravy mix to the rice and mix together. Bring to the boil, lower to simmer and cover and cook till liquid evaporates. Switch off and do not open for 10 minutes. Fluff rice up with a fork and transfer to serving dish. Top with chicken and squeeze lemon juice over (optional) and garnish with boiled eggs, coriander and mint leaves. Serve hot with cucumber, mint and yoghurt/curds chutney.

NB:  You need to use 3 large pans for cooking this.

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