Saudi Kabsa Fragrant Rice (Printer View)

A fragrant Saudi dish with tender meat, aromatic spices, raisins, and toasted almonds for festive meals.

# 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 cook until golden brown.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add meat pieces and brown on all sides, about 8 minutes.
03 - Add ground cumin, coriander, cinnamon, black pepper, turmeric, cardamom, cloves, allspice, bay leaves, and dried 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 chicken or lamb stock, bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 35–40 minutes for chicken or 60 minutes for lamb until meat is tender.
06 - Remove meat from pot and keep warm while preparing the rice.
07 - Add soaked and drained basmati rice along with salt into the broth remaining in the pot. Nestle the meat back into the rice.
08 - Scatter golden raisins over the rice. Cover and cook on low heat for 25–30 minutes until rice is fluffy and liquid is fully absorbed.
09 - Discard bay leaves and black lime. Gently fluff rice with a fork to separate grains.
10 - Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with toasted slivered almonds and chopped fresh parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • One pot means minimal cleanup while you're too busy enjoying the moment.
  • The aroma alone transforms any ordinary evening into something that feels intentional and warm.
  • Tender meat, fluffy rice, and toasted almonds create layers of texture that keep you reaching for seconds.
02 -
  • Rinsing the rice removes excess starch; skipping this leaves you with gluey, clumped grains instead of fluffy separate ones.
  • Don't stir the rice once it's cooking—that agitation releases starch and turns it creamy, which isn't what you want here.
03 -
  • If your pot isn't heavy-bottomed, the bottom layer of rice can scorch; use medium-low heat in the final stage to protect it.
  • Toast the almonds yourself just before serving—they go from golden to bitter in seconds, so stay nearby and listen for them to stop crackling.
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