Saudi Kabsa Arabian Rice Dish (Printable Version)

A fragrant Saudi Kabsa featuring tender meat, aromatic spices, sweet raisins, and toasted almonds.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Meat

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

→ Spices

05 - 2 tsp ground cumin
06 - 2 tsp ground coriander
07 - 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
08 - 1 ½ tsp ground black pepper
09 - 1 tsp ground turmeric
10 - 1 tsp ground cardamom
11 - ½ tsp ground cloves
12 - ½ tsp 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 20 minutes
18 - 5 cups chicken or lamb stock

→ Garnishes

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

# Method:

01 - Heat vegetable oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add sliced onion and sauté until golden brown.
02 - Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Incorporate the meat pieces, browning evenly on all sides, approximately 8 minutes.
03 - Stir in ground cumin, coriander, cinnamon, black pepper, turmeric, cardamom, cloves, allspice, bay leaves, and pierced black lime if using. Cook for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
04 - Add chopped tomatoes and grated carrot. Cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally to combine flavors.
05 - Pour in the stock, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 35–40 minutes if using chicken or 60 minutes if using lamb, until meat is tender.
06 - Carefully remove the meat pieces from the pot, keep warm while preparing the rice.
07 - Add soaked and drained rice along with salt to the simmering broth. Nestle the meat pieces back into the pot arranged over the rice. Scatter golden raisins on top. Cover and cook on low heat for 25–30 minutes until rice is fluffy and liquid is absorbed.
08 - Discard bay leaves and black lime. Fluff rice gently with a fork. Transfer to a serving platter and garnish with toasted slivered almonds and chopped parsley if desired.

# Expert Hints:

01 -
  • One pot becomes a complete meal that tastes like you've been cooking for hours, even though you haven't.
  • The meat falls off the bone while the rice soaks up every ounce of that spiced broth—no dry grains here.
  • Those toasted almonds and plump raisins scattered on top feel like hidden jewels everyone will notice.
02 -
  • Don't skip soaking the rice—it prevents those hard, chalky centers that ruin the whole dish.
  • If your stock boils too vigorously or the rice isn't tender when the liquid runs out, you've got a problem; keep the heat genuinely low and trust the timing.
  • Toasting your own spices before grinding them, if you have whole spices, changes everything—but if you're using pre-ground like most of us, make sure they're fresh and fragrant.
03 -
  • If you can't find a black lime (loomi), a strip of lemon zest or a squeeze of fresh lemon juice added near the end captures some of that tartness, though it won't be identical.
  • Make this in a Dutch oven or any heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid; cheap pots with loose lids will leak steam and your rice won't cook evenly.
  • Leftovers reheat beautifully in a low oven wrapped in foil, and the flavors actually deepen the next day.
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