Saudi Lamb Kabsa (spiced rice with lamb)

Recipe No.: G-2

Gulf150 minServes 6

Kabsa is one of the best-known dishes of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf, served at feasts, Eid and gatherings. Some sources link it to Yemen and others to Najd, and its exact origin is not known. It is served with daqoos, green salad and yogurt.

Ingredients for Saudi Lamb Kabsa

• For the lamb and broth
• 1.2 kgbone-in lamb (shoulder or leg), cut into medium pieces
• 2onions, chopped, and 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tbspgrated ginger
• 4tomatoes, grated, and 2 tbsp tomato paste
• ¼ cupghee or oil
• 2dried black limes (loomi), pierced
• 1cinnamon stick, 5 cardamom pods, 4 cloves and 2 bay leaves
• 1½ tbspkabsa spice mix (cardamom, clove, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, black pepper, nutmeg)
• 1.5 litreswater and salt
• For the rice
• 3 cupsbasmati rice, soaked 30 minutes and drained
• 1large carrot, coarsely grated
• 4½ cupsof the strained lamb broth
• To garnish
• ¼ cupfried blanched almonds and ¼ cup raisins
• Daqoos (spicy tomato sauce) to serve

Method

1. Heat the ghee in a large pot and brown the onions, then add the lamb and sear 8 to 10 minutes until browned all over.
2. Add the garlic, ginger, tomatoes, tomato paste, kabsa spices, loomi, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, bay leaves and salt and stir until the sauce comes together.
3. Add the water, bring to a boil and skim, then cover and simmer for 1½ hours until the lamb is tender.
4. Remove the lamb, strain the broth and measure 4½ cups, return it to the pot with the carrot and bring to a hard boil.
5. Add the drained rice, stir once and boil uncovered for 5 minutes until the broth drops below the surface of the rice.
6. Cover tightly and cook on the lowest heat 20 to 25 minutes, placing the lamb on top for the last 10 minutes.
7. Brown the lamb in a hot oven for 10 minutes if you like, then heap the rice on a wide platter, top with the lamb, garnish with almonds and raisins and serve with daqoos.

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