Saudi Kabsa Fragrant Rice (Printable format)

A fragrant Saudi dish with tender meat, aromatic spices, sweet raisins, and toasted almonds.

# List of ingredients:

→ Meat

01 - 2.2 lbs bone-in lamb or chicken pieces
02 - 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
03 - 1 large onion, finely sliced
04 - 3 garlic cloves, minced

→ Spices

05 - 2 teaspoons ground cumin
06 - 2 teaspoons ground coriander
07 - 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
08 - 1 ½ teaspoons ground black pepper
09 - 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
10 - 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
11 - ½ teaspoon ground cloves
12 - ½ teaspoon ground allspice
13 - 2 dried bay leaves
14 - 1 dried black lime (loomi), pierced (optional)

→ Vegetables

15 - 2 medium tomatoes, chopped
16 - 1 medium carrot, grated

→ Rice

17 - 3 cups basmati rice, rinsed and soaked for 20 minutes
18 - 5 cups chicken or lamb stock

→ Garnishes

19 - ½ cup golden raisins
20 - ½ cup toasted slivered almonds
21 - ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
22 - Salt, to taste

# How to make it:

01 - Heat the vegetable oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onion and sauté until golden.
02 - Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Then add the meat pieces, browning them on all sides for about 8 minutes.
03 - Stir in the ground cumin, coriander, cinnamon, black pepper, turmeric, cardamom, cloves, allspice, bay leaves, and black lime (if using). Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant.
04 - Add the chopped tomatoes and grated carrot. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to soften the vegetables.
05 - Pour in the stock, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes if using chicken, or 60 minutes for lamb, until the meat is tender.
06 - Remove the meat from the pot and keep it warm while preparing the rice.
07 - Stir the soaked rice and salt into the simmering broth. Nestle the meat pieces back into the pot on top of the rice.
08 - Scatter the golden raisins over the top. Cover and cook on low heat for 25 to 30 minutes until the rice is fluffy and all liquid is absorbed.
09 - Discard the bay leaves and black lime. Gently fluff the rice with a fork to combine ingredients evenly.
10 - Transfer the rice and meat to a serving platter. Garnish with toasted almonds and chopped parsley if desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The spices bloom together in a way that makes your kitchen smell like a spice bazaar, and that aroma alone is worth the effort.
  • One pot holds everything, so cleanup is almost as easy as the meal is impressive.
  • It feeds a crowd beautifully and tastes even better the next day when the flavors have had time to settle.
02 -
  • Rinsing the basmati rice removes excess starch, and soaking it beforehand keeps the grains from breaking apart—these two steps are the difference between fluffy and mushy.
  • The spices need that initial bloom in the hot oil to release their essential oils; skipping this step gives you spiced rice instead of spiced perfection.
03 -
  • Toast your almonds yourself in a dry pan just before serving—the difference between pre-toasted and fresh-toasted is like the difference between a photograph and the real thing.
  • If your rice looks like it needs more liquid with a few minutes left to cook, add a splash of warm water or stock, but only if it's genuinely dry; overwatering turns it to mush.
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