Overview
Kabsa is to Saudi Arabia what biryani is to India and machboos is to the UAE, the centrepiece rice dish of every important meal. The defining technique is the kabsa spice blend (bzar kabsa), a complex mix of cinnamon, cardamom, dried lime, cloves, nutmeg and pepper that gives the rice and chicken a deep, smoky perfume unlike any other Gulf rice dish. The chicken is poached in spiced broth, then the broth is used to cook the rice, which absorbs every flavour. Toasted almonds, pine nuts and golden raisins are scattered on top. Served with a separate hot tomato salsa called daqqus that diners drizzle to taste.
The Ingredients
For the kabsa
- • 1 whole chicken (1.5kg), in 6 pieces
- • 400g basmati rice
- • 2 large Brown Onions (Crysp)
- • 4 garlic cloves, minced
- • 200g Cherry Tomatoes on the Vine (Crysp)
- • 2 dried limes (loomi), pierced
- • 2 cinnamon sticks
- • 6 cardamom pods, crushed
- • 4 cloves
- • 4 bay leaves
- • 1 tbsp baharat or kabsa spice mix
- • 1 tsp ground turmeric
- • 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
- • Pinch of saffron threads
- • 3 tbsp tomato paste
- • 60g pine nuts
- • 60g blanched almonds, slivered
- • 60g golden raisins
- • 4 tbsp ghee
- • Salt & black pepper
For the daqqus (tomato salsa)
- • 200g Cherry Tomatoes on the Vine (Crysp)
- • 2 Green Hot Chillies (Crysp)
- • 3 garlic cloves
- • 1 Crysp Lime, juiced
- • 1 tsp ground cumin
- • 1 tbsp Peashoots (Crysp), to garnish
- • Salt, to taste
Instructions
Bloom the Saffron
Crush the saffron threads, drop into 3 tbsp of warm water. Steep while you prep, the water should turn deep golden orange.
Brown the Chicken
Pat the chicken pieces dry, season with salt, pepper and half the baharat. Heat 2 tbsp ghee in a heavy pot over medium-high. Brown the chicken in batches, 5 minutes per side, until deep golden. Transfer to a plate.
Build the Spice Base
In the same pot, add the diced onions, cook 6 minutes until golden. Add garlic, cinnamon sticks, cardamom, cloves, bay leaves. Cook 1 minute. Stir in tomato paste, remaining baharat, turmeric and nutmeg, cook 2 minutes until darkened.
Simmer the Chicken
Halve the cherry tomatoes, add to the pot, press to release juice. Return the chicken to the pot. Pour in 1 litre of water, add the dried limes (pierced) and saffron water. Season with salt. Bring to a boil, cover, drop the heat, simmer 35 minutes. Lift the chicken out, set aside on a plate. Strain the broth, you will need 800ml for the rice (top up with water if short).
Cook the Rice in the Broth
Rinse the rice 3 times. Return the strained broth to the pot. Add the rice, stir once. Bring to a boil, drop to low, cover, cook 18 minutes. Off the heat, leave covered 10 minutes more, then fluff with a fork. The rice should be golden, fragrant, with grains separated.
Roast the Chicken
While the rice rests, finish the chicken under a hot grill for 5 to 8 minutes until the skin is crisp and dark golden. This step is non-negotiable in proper kabsa, the contrast of crisp skin against soft rice is what defines the dish.
Toast the Garnishes
In a small pan, melt 2 tbsp ghee. Toast the slivered almonds and pine nuts 3 minutes until deep golden. Add the raisins, cook 30 seconds until they plump. Take off the heat.
Make the Daqqus
Char the cherry tomatoes and chillies under a grill for 5 minutes until blistered black in patches. Tip into a blender with the garlic, lime juice, cumin and salt. Blend until smooth but with some texture left. Taste, adjust salt and lime, the salsa should be sharp, smoky, properly hot.
Plate the Saudi Way
Mound the rice on a wide round serving platter. Arrange the crisp-skinned chicken pieces across the top. Scatter toasted nuts and raisins generously. Pile peashoots in the centre. Serve immediately with the daqqus in a separate small bowl on the table for diners to spoon onto their plates. Eat with the right hand at the most traditional gatherings, with a fork at home.
The Tradition
Kabsa originated in the central Najd region of Saudi Arabia and spread across the Arabian Peninsula with Bedouin tribal movement and the Hajj pilgrimage routes. The dish is now eaten across Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE, with each Gulf nation claiming a slight regional variation, more saffron in Hejazi kabsa, more loomi in Najdi kabsa. The Saudi version above is the standard. Daqqus on the side is universal across the Gulf, the small dish of fiery tomato salsa lets each diner adjust heat to taste, a Bedouin tradition where the cook never assumes the spice tolerance of the eater. In Riyadh and Jeddah, kabsa is the dish of every Friday lunch, every wedding, every important visit. Mishari (mansaf), Yemeni saltah, Emirati machboos and Saudi kabsa are the four great rice dishes of the Arabian Peninsula.
💡 Pro Tip: Look for proper Saudi kabsa spice mix at Carrefour Hypermarket or Lulu Hypermarket in Dubai, sold in small clear plastic packets in the spice section. The pre-made blend is always better than building it from baharat plus extra spices, the proportions are calibrated by Saudi spice merchants for exactly this dish. The mix typically contains cardamom, cinnamon, dried lime powder, cloves, nutmeg, black pepper, and dried rose petals, the rose petal is the secret signature.
