Kabsa (Arabic Rice)

 

 

Known also as Kabbsa or Kabseh, is a staple rice dish from the Middle East. This recipe serves for 4 persons

 

INGREDIENT

2 cups of aromatic long grain Indian basmati rice
150g packet of knor chicken stock powder
1 medium size Bombay onions finely chopped
1 medium size tomato finely chopped
1 table spoon of vegetable gee
1/2 tea spoon of finely chopped garlic
1/2 tea spoon of finely chopped fresh ginger
2 pieces of 1-inch long panda leaves (rampe) (optional)
5 whole cardamoms
5 Cloves
50g raisins
Salt to taste

 

METHOD

Wash the rice in running water until water becomes clear and take extra care not to damage the long grain rice while washing.
Leave the rice to drain for minimum of 15 minutes.
Heat gee in a wok and add panda leaves first and follow with cardamom, cloves, chopped ginger and garlic. Take extra care not to burn the ingredients. Idea is to transfer the aroma and flavor into the hot gee.
Then add chopped onions and let them slightly brown and add chopped tomato.
Once the onion become transparent add drained rice and fry the content in medium heat for 3 minutes until all the ingredients soaked into the rice.
If you are using a rice cooker, empty the chicken stock powder into a bowl and add 3 cups (this can be adjusted as per the measure given in the rice cooker) of hot water and stir until stock powder dissolves, and transfer the content into the rice cooker and add the chicken stock water. Add raisins and salt to taste and cook the rice until the rice cooker automatically switched from cooking to warm.
Please make sure to stir only once in the middle of the cooking for chicken stock to spread through whole rice content.
Empty the rice just after cooking to serving bowl and serve with grilled chicken and a fresh green salad.