Al Kabsa - The Saudi National Dish

This deslicious and filling dish brings along all the flavours! This rice dish is all you need - lots of spices and tender chicken, that literally falls off the bone.

Ingredients - serves 4

4-6 pcs. chicken thighs

30g butter

200g rice

2 garlic cloves

1 can chopped tomatoes (400g)

1 tbsp. tomato puree

2 carrots

3 tbsp. raisins

3 tbsp. blanched almonds

1/2 bunch parsley

1/2 liter vegetable stock

2 cloves

1/2 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. grounded cilantro seed

a pinch of nutmeg

1/2 tsp. all spice

1/2 tsp. white pepper

some saffron

salt and pepper

Method

Peel onion and garlic and chop finely. Wash chicken pieces and pat dry. Heat butter in a large pot and sear chicken from all sides. Add garlic and onion and cook until onion gets translucent. Add canned tomatoes and tomato puree and let simmer at low heat for 5 minutes.

In the meantime peel carrots and shred. Add shredded carrots, spices and cloves to the pot and fill up with vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, cover and let simmer at low heat for about 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 180°C. Remove chicken parts from the pot and place on a baking sheet, lined with parchment paper. Roast in preheated oven for about 30 minutes, until golden brown.

Now add rice to the pot and stir well. Cover again and let simmer for 35 minutes. The rice should be cooked and the water soaked up. Fold in raisins within the last 10 minutes. Season well with salt and pepper.

Wash parsley and chop leaves finely. Serve Al Kabsa on a large plate, place chicken parts on top of the rice and garnish with chopped almonds and parsley.