Arabian Kabsa Rice Dish
Ingredients
For boiling meat
- 2 tablespoons corn oil
- 10 mastic cloves
- 10 whole cardamom pods
- 10 whole black peppercorns
- 10 whole cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 kg cubed meat
Rice
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 4 cups basmati rice
Red sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon saffron
- 1/4 cup rose water
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup tomato paste
- 1 tablespoon mixed spices
- 1 tablespoon ground cardamom
- 1 teaspoon ground dried lime
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
For serving
- Boiled eggs
- Chili peppers
- Fried raisins
- Fried almonds
Preparation
Get a suitable pot, put the corn oil in it, heat on medium heat, add the mastic, cardamom, black pepper, cloves, cinnamon, and bay leaves, stir the spices slightly to roast and release their flavor. Be careful not to let the hot spices splatter on your hands; stay away from the pot during this step.
Add the meat and stir for a few minutes to brown it, then cover with water and cook on medium heat until fully cooked.
Remove the meat and strain the broth. Set aside about 2 cups of broth for the sauce. Use the remaining broth to cook the rice; ensure you have about 6 cups total, adding water if necessary.
Bring the broth to a strong boil, add the salt and basmati rice, boil vigorously for a few minutes, then reduce heat, cover, and cook until done.
For the sauce: Soak the saffron in rose water.
In a pot, heat the butter, add the tomato paste, and stir to roast it with the butter, releasing its flavor.
Add the mixed spices, ground cardamom, ground dried lime, cinnamon, black pepper, then the reserved broth and saffron-rose water mixture. Boil for a few minutes to thicken the sauce.
Add the meat to the sauce and cook gently for a few minutes until it is like a stew, with sauce proportional to the meat.
Place the rice in a suitable dish, then add the meat and sauce on top.
Serve with boiled eggs, fried raisins, fried almonds, and hot chili peppers.
