Kuwaiti Machboos (spiced rice with meat)

Recipe No.: G-25

Gulf150 minServes 6

Machboos is one of the most prominent Kuwaiti dishes and a regular at the lunch table: basmati rice seasoned with bzar and dried lime and cooked in meat broth. It is served with daqoos and is present at every Kuwaiti feast, and its roots are credited to Gulf cooks in general.

Ingredients for Kuwaiti Machboos

• For the meat and broth
• 1.2 kgbone-in lamb, cut into medium pieces
• 2onions, thinly sliced, 5 cloves garlic and a piece of ginger, grated
• 3tomatoes, chopped, and 2 tbsp tomato paste
• ¼ cupghee or oil
• 1½ tbspbzar spice mix (cumin, coriander, turmeric, black pepper, cardamom, clove, cinnamon)
• 3dried black limes (loomi), pierced, 2 cinnamon sticks, 4 cardamom pods and 2 bay leaves
• 1hot green chili (optional) and salt
• For the rice
• 3 cupsbasmati rice, soaked 30 minutes and drained
• 4½ cupsof the strained broth
• A pinch ofsaffron steeped in 2 tbsp rose water and a little hot water
• To serve
• Daqoos (tomato, garlic, coriander and chili) and lemon

Method

1. Heat the ghee in a large pot, brown the onions until deep golden, then add the garlic, ginger and spices for 30 seconds.
2. Add the lamb and sear 8 minutes, then the tomatoes, paste, loomi, cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaves, chili and salt.
3. Add 1.8 litres boiling water and simmer 1½ hours until tender; lift out the lamb and brown it 10 minutes in a 220°C oven.
4. Strain the broth, measure 4½ cups and return it to the pot, bring to a boil and adjust the salt.
5. Add the drained rice and boil uncovered for 5 minutes until the liquid drops below the surface.
6. Sprinkle the saffron and rose water, cover tightly (with a cloth under the lid), cook on low for 20 minutes, then rest 10 minutes.
7. Fluff the rice and serve topped with the meat or chicken, with daqoos and lemon.

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