How to make an Authentic Middle Eastern Dinner.

The Middle East is full of fantastic, spicy dishes that are sure to make your weekly meal plan more interesting. Popular throughout most Middle Eastern countries is a rice and chicken dish called Kabsa. It is often served at special occasions, such as weddings, dinner parties and baby showers, especially in Saudi Arabia. It is simple to make, and its ingredients are easy to find in America. It is also kid-friendly, as the ingredients are not too much of a culture shock. Visit your local halal market for items you cannot find in your neighborhood grocery. This simple recipe is for six people.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Large boiling pan
• Wooden spoon
• Aluminum foil
• 3 tbs. olive oil
• 1 diced onion
• 6 medium boneless and skinless chicken breasts or 1 small whole chicken
• 8 oz. tomato paste
• 3 tbs. salt
• 4 tbs. Arabic spice (a blend you can purchase at the supermarket)
• 7 cups water
• 3 1/2 cups Basmati rice
• Optional: Lemon wedges and parsley.

Chicken Kabsa: A Great Middle Eastern Meal

1. Heat a large boiling pan on high. Add olive oil and onion. Cover and allow the onion to cook until it is clear, stirring often.

2. Add the chicken to the pan, covering the bottom evenly. Add 1/2 cup of water. Cover and allow the chicken to cook all the way through.

3. After the chicken is cooked, add the remaining 6 1/2 cups of water. Allow it to boil rapidly. Add the tomato paste, salt and Arabic spice. Taste. The mixture should be salty and spicy.

4. After spices are to your taste, add the rice. There is no need to wash the rice first. Cover with aluminum foil and cover. Turn stove to medium-low. Allow the mixture to cook until the rice is done, which should be about 20 minutes.

5. Empty into serving platter, putting the chicken on top. Garnish with lemon wedges and parsley. Serve hot.

Tips & Warnings

• Serve this dish with pita bread and salad for a complete meal.
• Chicken Kabsa is great with yogurt and hot sauce on the side.
• You may substitute Indian chicken biryani spices for the Arabic spice mixture; however reduce the amount used as it is very hot.
• Be sure to check the rice as it cooks. It is rather easy to burn the bottom.
• If cooking with a whole chicken, warn your guests to watch for bones.

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Resources

• More information on Chicken Kabsa.

[easygroovy]

on 9/10/2008 I was looking for this recipe for a while. But this recipe is not known to all the arabic people. It is mostly cooked in the golf countries. Thanks

[easygroovy]

on 9/10/2008 I like your recipe. It's very tasty. Thank you for sharing it.