Chicken Kabsa

Ingredients

• Basmati rice — 800 g
• Cumin seeds — 2 tsp
• Black peppercorns — 1.5 tsp
• Coriander seeds — 1 tbsp
• Cinnamon stick — 1 pcs
• Green cardamom pods — 6 pcs
• Cloves — 6 pcs
• Nutmeg — 0.5 pcs
• Turmeric — 1 tsp
• Salt — 5 tsp
• Dried black lime (Loomi) — 2 pcs
• Bay leaves — 3 pcs
• Sunflower oil — 120 ml
• Melted ghee — 60 ml
• Water — 1650 ml
• Whole chicken (cut into pieces) — 1 pcs
• Onion (sliced) — 360 g
• Tomatoes (chopped) — 350 g
• Garlic (cloves) — 6 pcs
• Tomato paste — 1 tbsp
• Green chili peppers — 2 pcs
• Chicken bouillon cube — 1 pcs
• Toasted almonds — 0.5 cup
• Fresh coriander leaves
• For browning the chicken — melted ghee — 3 tbsp
• For browning the chicken — Kabsa spice (ground or ready-made) — 1 tsp
• For browning the chicken — smoked paprika — 0.5 tsp

Steps

1. Grind or blend cumin seeds, black peppercorns, coriander seeds, cinnamon stick, cardamom, cloves, and half a nutmeg until you get a fine spice mixture; add turmeric and salt, then set the mixture aside (this is the kabsa spice).
2. Wash the rice well and soak it in water for up to 30 minutes, then drain; set the rice aside.
3. Heat a wide pan over medium heat with sunflower oil and a tablespoon of ghee, place the chicken pieces (if they have skin, place skin-side down first) and brown them until golden, then flip until all sides are browned for a few minutes, remove the chicken to a side dish with any juices.
4. In the same pan, add the sliced onions and sauté until they start to brown, then cover and leave for about 5 minutes until they turn dark golden brown, stirring occasionally.
5. Add the minced garlic and stir for one minute until fragrant, then add the tomato paste and sauté lightly to remove the raw taste, after 20–30 seconds add the chopped tomatoes and stir for 2–3 minutes until softened.
6. Add half the amount of ground kabsa spice to the tomato mixture, then pour in the water, add the chicken bouillon cube, bay leaves, and dried black limes cut with a knife to release their flavor, stir the ingredients well.
7. Return the chicken pieces to the pot with any remaining juices, cover the pot and let it cook for about 40 minutes over medium to low heat until the chicken is fully cooked; after about 20 minutes, add the green chili peppers and cover again.
8. When the chicken is cooked, carefully remove it to a plate and set aside, keeping the broth in the pot, assess the amount of liquid remaining (the source indicated about 6 cups remaining) then adjust salt if necessary.
9. Add the drained rice to the broth and stir gently to mix with the herbs and spices, leave it over medium heat until some of the water evaporates and a little liquid remains.
10. Cover the pot with a clean kitchen cloth, then place the lid tightly over it, reduce the heat to very low and let the rice steam and cook for 20–25 minutes until fully cooked.
11. While the rice is steaming, mix 3 tablespoons of melted ghee with 1 teaspoon of kabsa spice and half a teaspoon of smoked paprika, then brush the ghee mixture over the chicken pieces with a knife or brush to cover the surface.
12. Brown the chicken in an oven or air fryer at 200°C for only 8–10 minutes to give it a light color and crispiness, then remove it, being careful not to break it apart.
13. Turn off the heat from the pot and leave it for two minutes, then lift the lid and lightly fluff the rice with a fork to separate the grains, place the chicken pieces over the rice and garnish with toasted almonds and fresh coriander leaves.
14. Serve the kabsa hot with yogurt and cucumber sauce and a side of hot sauce if desired.

Yogurt and Cucumber Sauce

• Natural yogurt — 1 cup
• Cucumber (thinly sliced, deseeded) — 0.5 pcs
• Juice of half a lemon — 0.5 pcs
• Minced coriander — 3 tbsp
• Garlic (crushed) — 1 pcs
• Black pepper — 0.5 tsp
• Cumin — 1 tsp
• Salt — 1 tsp
• Milk — 120 ml

1. In a bowl, mix the yogurt with the deseeded cucumber slices, add the juice of half a lemon, crushed coriander, and garlic.
2. Season with black pepper, cumin, and salt, and gradually add milk until you reach the desired consistency, mix well until the sauce is smooth and creamy.