Kabsa Recipe

8 servings | Prep Time: 1 hour | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Passive Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

2 pounds chicken thighs or breasts or any cut you like
1/2 pound ground beef or lamb or a mixture
3 large onions, one sliced, the others chopped
1/2 cup vegetable oil (can use light olive oil)
2 cups long-grain rice, preferably Basmati
1 cup mixed nuts, previously fried or roasted
2 Maggi bouillon cubes, beef or chicken flavor
1 Tbsp Kabsa spices or substitute a mixture of 1 tsp cardamom, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground coriander, 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, 1/2 tsp cloves and 1 tsp ground cumin and turmeric or saffron. Add more spices to this mix as you see fit. If using saffron, "dissolve" it in 2 tablespoons of warm water and add it with the bouillon later.
2 dried limes (called noomi Basra), pocked with a fork in 2 places
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley to garnish (optional)

Preparation

1. In a large (2-quart) pot with a lid, fry the meat first until browned. Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and pan-fry the onion and chicken till golden, adding more oil if necessary; add the spices and the meat back and add the rice. Stir for a couple of minutes.
2. Add 4 cups of water, the bouillon cubes and the dried limes and the saffron if using. Cover, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook for 20 minutes or so until the rice is cooked.
3. Uncover, and taste to adjust seasoning. Present the dish on a platter with nuts and chopped parsley on top.

Adopted from taste of Beirut