[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":459},["ShallowReactive",2],{"recipe:saudi-kabsa":3,"recipe:country:saudi-arabia":243},{"slug":4,"title":5,"nativeName":6,"pronunciation":7,"countrySlug":8,"region":9,"emoji":10,"summary":11,"intro":12,"story":13,"whyThis":14,"tips":19,"substitutions":26,"variations":39,"serveWith":49,"storage":51,"faq":52,"equipment":68,"baseServings":73,"prepMinutes":74,"cookMinutes":75,"restMinutes":76,"difficulty":77,"course":78,"diet":80,"mainIngredients":84,"ingredients":89,"instructions":189,"nutrition":221,"images":228,"keywords":232,"publishedAt":241,"updatedAt":241,"authorSlug":242},"saudi-kabsa","Kabsa (Saudi Spiced Rice with Chicken)","كبسة","KAB-sah","saudi-arabia","Nationwide, with a Najdi core","🍚","Saudi Arabia's national dish: chicken simmered with dried black lime, cardamom and cinnamon, the basmati then cooked in that same broth and the meat browned on top, with tomato daqoos alongside.","Kabsa is a one-pot rice dish in which the rice does the heavy lifting. Chicken is simmered with onion, tomato, cardamom, cinnamon and pierced dried limes until the pot holds a deep, faintly sour broth; that broth then cooks the basmati, so every grain tastes of the meat rather than sitting politely next to it. The chicken goes back on top, browned under a hot grill until the skin crackles, and a thin garlicky tomato sauce called daqoos is passed around for anyone who wants sharpness and heat. The flavour is warm and aromatic rather than spicy — loomi gives it a musty citrus edge you will not find in biryani or pilaf — and it is deliberately built to feed a crowd from a single platter.","Kabsa is what Saudis cook when there are people to feed. The name comes from the Arabic verb for pressing or squeezing together, which describes the method exactly: meat and rice compressed into one pot, one flavour, one platter set on a cloth for everyone to eat from. Versions of the same dish exist across the Gulf under other names — machboos in Kuwait and Bahrain, majboos in Qatar, and a close cousin in Oman and the UAE — and arguing about which came first is a regional pastime rather than a settled question. What is not in dispute is that the technique travelled with trade: long-grain rice arrived in Arabia from the Indian Ocean routes, and the whole-spice cabinet of cardamom, cinnamon, clove and black pepper came the same way, landing in a desert kitchen that already knew what to do with lamb, onion and dried lime.\n\nThe Najd plateau around Riyadh is usually credited as the heartland, but every region has bent the dish to its own taste. Coastal cooks make it with fish or shrimp. Hejazi versions lean sweeter, with more raisins and fried nuts. Some households add a spoonful of tomato paste for colour, others insist that colour should come only from the spice blend and browned onion. Lamb kabsa is the celebration version — a whole shoulder or a leg, or for a real occasion an entire animal on a metre-wide tray — while chicken kabsa is the weekday default and the one most Saudi children grow up eating on a Friday afternoon.\n\nTwo things make a kabsa taste Saudi rather than generically Middle Eastern. The first is loomi, the black dried lime: limes boiled in salt water and left in the sun until they rattle, then pierced and dropped whole into the pot to release a sour, almost fermented perfume. The second is restraint. There is no chilli in the pot, no yoghurt marinade, no layering of separately cooked components. Everything the dish needs is built in one vessel in the right order, and heat is left entirely to the daqoos on the side, so each person at the platter decides how sharp their own mouthful is.",[15,16,17,18],"Cooks the rice in the strained chicken broth by measured volume, so the grains are seasoned all the way through instead of only on the surface.","Finishes the chicken under the grill for crackling skin — the step restaurants do and most home recipes quietly skip.","Includes the daqoos, which is not optional garnish but the acidic counterweight the rich rice is built around.","Explains the dried-lime step honestly, including what to do if you cannot find loomi where you shop.",[20,21,22,23,24,25],"Pierce the dried limes two or three times with a knife tip before they go in. Whole and unpierced they float and contribute almost nothing.","Rinse the basmati until the water runs clear, then soak it 20 minutes. Unsoaked rice absorbs broth unevenly and you get a mushy top over hard grains.","Measure the broth rather than eyeballing it — 1.5 parts liquid to 1 part soaked rice by volume. Extra broth freezes well for the next batch.","Brown the onion further than feels comfortable, to a deep amber. Pale onion gives a pale, flat kabsa no spice blend can fix.","Do not stir the rice once the lid goes on. Let it steam undisturbed, then fluff from the edges inward with a fork.","If the finished rice tastes correct but flat, it needs salt in the broth stage, not on the plate — taste the broth before the rice goes in.",[27,31,35],{"original":28,"swap":29,"note":30},"Loomi (dried black lime)","Zest of 1 lemon plus 1 tbsp lemon juice added at the end","Not a true match — loomi is musty and fermented where lemon is bright — but it restores the sourness the dish needs. Middle Eastern grocers and most online spice sellers carry loomi cheaply, and it keeps for years.",{"original":32,"swap":33,"note":34},"Kabsa spice blend","Equal parts ground cumin, coriander and black pepper with half as much cinnamon, clove and nutmeg","Baharat is close enough to substitute directly. Avoid garam masala, which pushes the dish toward Indian rather than Gulf flavour.",{"original":36,"swap":37,"note":38},"Whole chicken","1.5 kg lamb shoulder in large chunks","Lamb kabsa is the celebration version. Simmer it 1.5 to 2 hours instead of 40 minutes, then brown the pieces the same way.",[40,43,46],{"name":41,"description":42},"Kabsa laham","The lamb version served at weddings and Eid, usually with a whole shoulder set on the rice and showered with fried almonds and raisins.",{"name":44,"description":45},"Kabsa robian","A Gulf-coast shrimp kabsa: build the broth with shells and heads, then stir the peeled shrimp through the rice in the final five minutes.",{"name":47,"description":48},"Machboos","The Kuwaiti and Bahraini sibling, generally darker and more heavily spiced, often finished with a drizzle of caramelised sugar syrup for colour.",[50],"Daqoos tomato sauce, a cucumber-yoghurt salad, pickled vegetables, and glasses of cold laban — then gahwa and dates once the platter is cleared.","Kabsa keeps 3 days refrigerated. Store the rice and chicken together so the meat does not dry out, and reheat covered with a splash of water or leftover broth in a low oven or a covered pan over gentle heat — microwaving uncovered turns the grains hard. The daqoos keeps a week in a jar in the fridge and improves after a day. Cooked kabsa freezes acceptably for a month, though the rice softens; freeze it in portioned bags pressed flat so it thaws quickly.",[53,56,59,62,65],{"question":54,"answer":55},"What is loomi and do I really need it?","Loomi is a lime that has been boiled in salt water and dried in the sun until it turns black and hollow. Pierced and dropped whole into a simmering pot, it releases a sour, musty, slightly fermented citrus flavour that is the signature of Gulf cooking. You can make kabsa without it using lemon zest and juice, but the result tastes like a generic spiced pilaf rather than kabsa specifically.",{"question":57,"answer":58},"What is the difference between kabsa and biryani?","Both are spiced rice dishes with meat, but the method and flavour differ. Biryani layers separately cooked rice over a yoghurt-and-chilli marinated meat and steams them together, and it is usually hot with chilli. Kabsa cooks the rice directly in the meat broth in one pot, uses no yoghurt and no chilli, and gets its sourness from dried lime, with heat served on the side as a tomato sauce.",{"question":60,"answer":61},"Why did my rice turn out mushy?","Almost always too much liquid or too much stirring. Measure the broth against the soaked, drained rice at roughly 1.5 to 1 by volume rather than guessing, and once the lid goes on leave the pot completely alone until the steaming time is up. Rinsing the rice until the water runs clear also removes surface starch that otherwise turns the grains gluey.",{"question":63,"answer":64},"Can I make kabsa ahead for a party?","Yes, and it is common to. Simmer the chicken and strain the broth a day early, then refrigerate both separately. On the day, cook the rice in the reheated broth and finish the chicken under the grill, which takes about 40 minutes total. Fully cooked kabsa also reheats well covered in a low oven with a little extra broth splashed over.",{"question":66,"answer":67},"Is kabsa spicy?","The rice itself is aromatic but not hot at all — the spicing is cardamom, cinnamon, clove, cumin and black pepper. All the heat comes from daqoos, the thin tomato and garlic sauce spooned over individual portions at the table, which lets everyone set their own level. Leave the chilli out of the daqoos and the whole meal is completely mild.",[69,70,71,72],"Large heavy pot or Dutch oven with a tight lid","Fine sieve","Baking tray","Blender or food processor for the daqoos",6,25,75,10,"medium",[79],"main",[81,82,83],"halal-friendly","dairy-free","gluten-free",[85,86,87,88],"chicken","basmati-rice","tomato","cardamom",[90,95,100,105,110,112,115,119,122,124,127,131,134,138,141,144,148,152,154,158,163,168,172,175,178,179,182,185],{"ref":85,"qty":91,"unit":92,"name":93,"group":94},1.6,"kg","whole chicken, jointed into 8 pieces, skin on","For the broth and chicken",{"ref":96,"qty":97,"unit":98,"name":99,"group":94},"ghee",3,"tbsp","ghee, or a mix of ghee and neutral oil",{"ref":101,"qty":102,"unit":103,"name":104,"group":94},"onion",2,"piece","large onions, finely chopped",{"ref":106,"qty":107,"unit":108,"name":109,"group":94},"garlic",5,"clove","garlic, crushed",{"ref":87,"qty":97,"unit":103,"name":111,"group":94},"ripe tomatoes, grated or finely chopped",{"ref":113,"qty":102,"unit":98,"name":114,"group":94},"tomato-paste","tomato paste",{"ref":116,"qty":117,"unit":103,"name":118,"group":94},"carrot",1,"carrot, coarsely grated",{"qty":97,"unit":103,"name":120,"note":121,"group":94},"loomi (dried black limes), pierced","see substitutions if unavailable",{"ref":88,"qty":73,"unit":103,"name":123,"group":94},"green cardamom pods, lightly crushed",{"ref":125,"qty":117,"unit":103,"name":126,"group":94},"cinnamon","cinnamon stick",{"ref":128,"qty":129,"unit":103,"name":130,"group":94},"cloves",4,"whole cloves",{"ref":132,"qty":102,"unit":103,"name":133,"group":94},"bay-leaf","bay leaves",{"ref":135,"qty":102,"unit":136,"name":137,"group":94},"cumin","tsp","ground cumin",{"ref":139,"qty":102,"unit":136,"name":140,"group":94},"coriander-seed","ground coriander",{"ref":142,"qty":117,"unit":136,"name":143,"group":94},"black-pepper","ground black pepper",{"ref":145,"qty":146,"unit":136,"name":147,"group":94},"turmeric",0.5,"ground turmeric",{"ref":149,"qty":150,"unit":136,"name":151,"group":94},"nutmeg",0.25,"grated nutmeg",{"qty":102,"unit":136,"name":153,"group":94},"fine salt, plus more to taste",{"qty":155,"unit":156,"name":157,"group":94},1.5,"l","water",{"ref":86,"qty":159,"unit":160,"name":161,"group":162},500,"g","basmati rice, rinsed and soaked 20 minutes","For the rice",{"ref":164,"qty":117,"unit":165,"name":166,"optional":167,"group":162},"saffron","pinch","saffron threads, steeped in 2 tbsp hot water",true,{"ref":169,"qty":170,"unit":160,"name":169,"optional":167,"group":171},"raisins",50,"To finish",{"ref":173,"qty":170,"unit":160,"name":174,"optional":167,"group":171},"almonds","flaked or slivered almonds",{"ref":87,"qty":129,"unit":103,"name":176,"group":177},"ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped","For the daqoos",{"ref":106,"qty":97,"unit":108,"name":106,"group":177},{"ref":180,"qty":117,"unit":103,"name":181,"optional":167,"group":177},"green-chili","green chilli, stemmed",{"ref":183,"qty":117,"unit":98,"name":184,"group":177},"olive-oil","olive oil",{"qty":186,"unit":187,"name":188,"group":177},null,"to taste","salt and a squeeze of lemon",[190,195,198,202,206,210,214,218],{"title":191,"text":192,"timerSeconds":193,"tip":194},"Brown the onion properly","Melt the ghee in a large heavy pot over medium heat and cook the chopped onions, stirring often, for 12 to 15 minutes until they collapse and turn a deep amber — well past golden, but stopping before any bitter dark specks appear. Stir in the garlic and cook one minute more, until it smells sweet rather than raw.",840,"This is the colour base of the whole dish. Pale onion means pale kabsa.",{"title":196,"text":197},"Build the spiced tomato base","Add the tomato paste and fry it for a minute until it darkens to brick red, then add the grated tomatoes, carrot, cumin, coriander, black pepper, turmeric and nutmeg. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring, until the mixture thickens and you can see ghee separating and pooling at the edges of the pot.",{"title":199,"text":200,"timerSeconds":201},"Simmer the chicken into broth","Nestle the chicken pieces in skin side up, add the pierced loomi, cardamom, cinnamon stick, cloves, bay leaves and salt, then pour over 1.5 litres of water so the chicken is just covered. Bring to a boil, skim the grey foam off the surface, then lower to a bare simmer, cover and cook 40 minutes until the meat pulls easily from the bone.",2400,{"title":203,"text":204,"tip":205},"Strain and measure","Lift the chicken onto a baking tray and strain the broth through a sieve, pressing the solids to extract everything, then discard the loomi, whole spices and pulp. Taste the broth — it should be pointedly well seasoned and clearly sour. Measure out 900 ml; save any extra for reheating leftovers.","The broth should taste slightly too salty on its own. The rice will absorb that seasoning and dilute it.",{"title":207,"text":208,"timerSeconds":209},"Cook the rice in the broth","Drain the soaked rice thoroughly and stir it into the measured hot broth in the cleaned pot. Bring to a rolling boil uncovered and let it bubble until the liquid drops to the level of the rice and craters open across the surface, about 6 to 8 minutes. Trickle over the saffron water, cover tightly, and steam on the lowest heat for 15 minutes.",900,{"title":211,"text":212,"timerSeconds":213},"Grill the chicken","While the rice steams, brush the chicken pieces with a little ghee and grill them 15 to 20 cm from a hot element for 8 to 10 minutes, until the skin is blistered, deep brown and audibly crisp at the edges. Turn the tray once if your grill runs hot on one side.",600,{"title":215,"text":216,"timerSeconds":217},"Make the daqoos","Blend the tomatoes, garlic and chilli to a loose purée, then simmer with the olive oil in a small pan for 8 minutes until it thickens slightly and loses its raw smell. Season with salt and a squeeze of lemon; it should be pourable, sharp and thin, not a thick pasta sauce.",480,{"title":219,"text":220,"timerSeconds":213},"Rest, fluff and build the platter","Take the rice off the heat and leave it covered for 10 minutes, then fluff from the outside inward with a fork so the grains separate without breaking. Pile the rice on a wide platter, arrange the grilled chicken on top, scatter over the raisins and almonds toasted briefly in ghee, and serve with the daqoos in a bowl on the side.",{"calories":222,"protein":223,"carbs":224,"fat":225,"fiber":129,"sugar":226,"sodium":227,"estimated":167},720,41,72,28,8,920,[229],{"src":230,"alt":231},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Fsaudi-kabsa\u002Fhero.svg","Wide platter of Saudi kabsa — golden spiced basmati rice topped with browned chicken pieces, raisins and toasted almonds, with a bowl of red daqoos sauce beside it",[233,234,235,236,237,238,239,240],"kabsa","saudi arabia","spiced rice","chicken and rice","dried lime","loomi","gulf cuisine","one pot","2026-08-21","dishroute-kitchen",{"items":244,"total":76,"page":117,"limit":457,"hasMore":458},[245,267,274,297,321,344,368,390,414,434],{"slug":246,"title":247,"nativeName":248,"countrySlug":8,"region":249,"baseServings":73,"prepMinutes":250,"cookMinutes":251,"difficulty":77,"course":252,"diet":253,"mainIngredients":254,"images":257,"keywords":261,"publishedAt":241,"updatedAt":241,"authorSlug":242},"jareesh","Jareesh (Crushed Wheat and Lamb Porridge)","جريش","Najd (central Saudi Arabia)",20,110,[79],[81],[255,256,101,96],"lamb","buttermilk",[258],{"src":259,"alt":260},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Fjareesh\u002Fhero.svg","Wide bowl of Saudi jareesh — creamy pale crushed-wheat porridge with shredded lamb, topped with deep brown fried onions in melted ghee",[246,234,262,263,264,265,266],"crushed wheat","lamb porridge","najdi","laban","ramadan food",{"slug":4,"title":5,"nativeName":6,"countrySlug":8,"region":9,"baseServings":73,"prepMinutes":74,"cookMinutes":75,"restMinutes":76,"difficulty":77,"course":268,"diet":269,"mainIngredients":270,"images":271,"keywords":273,"publishedAt":241,"updatedAt":241,"authorSlug":242},[79],[81,82,83],[85,86,87,88],[272],{"src":230,"alt":231},[233,234,235,236,237,238,239,240],{"slug":275,"title":276,"nativeName":277,"countrySlug":8,"region":278,"baseServings":73,"prepMinutes":279,"cookMinutes":280,"restMinutes":281,"difficulty":282,"course":283,"diet":284,"mainIngredients":285,"images":286,"keywords":290,"publishedAt":241,"updatedAt":241,"authorSlug":242},"saudi-mandi","Mandi (Pit-Smoked Lamb and Rice)","مندي","Southern Saudi Arabia and the Hejaz",30,200,15,"hard",[79],[81,82,83],[255,86,88,96],[287],{"src":288,"alt":289},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Fsaudi-mandi\u002Fhero.svg","Platter of Saudi mandi — pale saffron-marbled basmati rice topped with falling-apart smoked lamb shoulder, slivered almonds and raisins",[291,234,292,293,294,295,296],"mandi","smoked lamb","lamb and rice","yemeni","charcoal smoking","one pot feast",{"slug":298,"title":299,"nativeName":300,"romanized":301,"countrySlug":8,"region":302,"baseServings":129,"prepMinutes":250,"cookMinutes":303,"difficulty":304,"course":305,"diet":306,"mainIngredients":308,"images":311,"keywords":315,"publishedAt":241,"updatedAt":241,"authorSlug":242},"saleeg","Saleeg (Hejazi Creamy Milk Rice with Chicken)","سليق","salīq","Hejaz — Taif, Mecca and Jeddah",80,"easy",[79],[83,307,81],"nut-free",[309,85,310,96],"short-grain-rice","milk",[312],{"src":313,"alt":314},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Fsaleeg\u002Fhero.svg","Wide platter of creamy Saudi saleeg rice topped with browned whole chicken and melted ghee, tomato daqoos alongside",[298,316,317,318,236,319,320],"saudi rice","hejazi food","milk rice","taif","daqoos",{"slug":322,"title":323,"nativeName":324,"countrySlug":8,"region":325,"baseServings":73,"prepMinutes":107,"cookMinutes":281,"restMinutes":107,"difficulty":304,"course":326,"diet":328,"mainIngredients":331,"images":333,"keywords":337,"publishedAt":241,"updatedAt":241,"authorSlug":242},"saudi-gahwa","Saudi Gahwa (Cardamom Coffee)","قهوة عربية","Nationwide",[327],"drink",[329,330,83,82,81],"vegan","vegetarian",[88,164,128,332],"dates",[334],{"src":335,"alt":336},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Fsaudi-gahwa\u002Fhero.svg","A brass dallah pouring pale gold Saudi gahwa into a small handleless cup beside a plate of dates",[338,339,340,341,342,343],"gahwa","arabic coffee","saudi coffee","cardamom coffee","dallah","saffron coffee",{"slug":345,"title":346,"nativeName":347,"countrySlug":8,"region":348,"baseServings":73,"prepMinutes":250,"cookMinutes":74,"restMinutes":349,"difficulty":304,"course":350,"diet":353,"mainIngredients":354,"images":357,"keywords":361,"publishedAt":241,"updatedAt":241,"authorSlug":242},"saudi-luqaimat","Saudi Luqaimat (Syrup-Soaked Dough Balls)","لقيمات","Nationwide, especially in Ramadan",90,[351,352],"dessert","snack",[330],[355,356,88,164],"flour","yeast",[358],{"src":359,"alt":360},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Fsaudi-luqaimat\u002Fhero.svg","A plate of golden luqaimat dough balls glazed in dark syrup and scattered with sesame seeds and pistachios",[362,363,364,365,366,367],"luqaimat","saudi dessert","ramadan sweets","fried dough balls","date syrup","gulf dessert",{"slug":369,"title":370,"nativeName":371,"countrySlug":8,"region":372,"baseServings":129,"prepMinutes":76,"cookMinutes":107,"difficulty":304,"course":373,"diet":375,"mainIngredients":376,"images":381,"keywords":385,"publishedAt":241,"updatedAt":241,"authorSlug":242},"masoub","Saudi Masoub (Banana and Bread Pudding)","معصوب","Hejaz — Jeddah and Mecca",[374,351],"breakfast",[330],[377,378,379,380],"banana","pita-bread","heavy-cream","honey",[382],{"src":383,"alt":384},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Fmasoub\u002Fhero.svg","A bowl of Saudi masoub, mashed banana and bread topped with cream, honey drizzle and crushed pistachios",[369,386,387,317,388,389],"saudi breakfast","banana bread pudding","jeddah","ramadan dessert",{"slug":391,"title":392,"nativeName":393,"romanized":394,"countrySlug":8,"region":372,"baseServings":129,"prepMinutes":395,"cookMinutes":279,"restMinutes":396,"difficulty":77,"course":397,"diet":399,"mainIngredients":400,"images":404,"keywords":408,"publishedAt":241,"updatedAt":241,"authorSlug":242},"saudi-mutabbaq","Saudi Mutabbaq (Folded Meat-Stuffed Pancake)","مطبق","muṭabbaq",40,120,[398],"street-food",[82,307,81],[355,401,402,403],"ground-beef","leek","eggs",[405],{"src":406,"alt":407},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Fsaudi-mutabbaq\u002Fhero.svg","Square of Saudi mutabbaq cut open to show spiced minced beef, leek and set egg inside a crisp blistered pastry",[409,410,411,412,266,388,413],"mutabbaq","murtabak","saudi street food","stuffed pancake","minced beef pastry",{"slug":415,"title":416,"nativeName":417,"countrySlug":8,"region":418,"baseServings":129,"prepMinutes":74,"cookMinutes":279,"restMinutes":349,"difficulty":77,"course":419,"diet":421,"mainIngredients":422,"images":424,"keywords":428,"publishedAt":241,"updatedAt":241,"authorSlug":242},"tamees","Saudi Tamees (Tandoor Flatbread)","تميس","Riyadh and Jeddah bakeries",[420],"bread",[330,81],[355,356,310,423],"sesame-seeds",[425],{"src":426,"alt":427},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Ftamees\u002Fhero.svg","A wide round of Saudi tamees flatbread with deep finger grooves, blistered golden top and sesame seeds",[415,429,430,431,432,433],"saudi bread","tandoor flatbread","afghan naan","breakfast bread","flatbread recipe",{"slug":435,"title":436,"nativeName":437,"romanized":438,"countrySlug":8,"baseServings":129,"prepMinutes":281,"cookMinutes":439,"difficulty":304,"course":440,"diet":442,"mainIngredients":443,"images":445,"keywords":449,"publishedAt":241,"updatedAt":241,"authorSlug":242},"shorbat-freekeh","Shorbat Freekeh (Saudi Smoked Green Wheat Soup)","شوربة فريكة","shorbat farīkah",55,[441],"soup",[82,307,81],[255,87,101,135,444],"stock",[446],{"src":447,"alt":448},"\u002Fimages\u002Frecipes\u002Fshorbat-freekeh\u002Fhero.svg","Bowl of thick Saudi freekeh soup with lamb, green wheat grains and parsley, lemon wedge and dates alongside",[450,451,452,453,454,455,456],"shorbat freekeh","freekeh soup","green wheat","ramadan soup","saudi soup","iftar","lamb soup",24,false,1787360060694]