Recipe Sunday

Today I offer Kebsah. Kebsah is a traditionally Arabian dish with versions unique to various regions throughout the Middle East. Also, this dish is traditionally made with Lamb.

The SU and I have changed it up, we use Chicken and this is a recipe of our own making. The first time I made this for the SU I called it Mock Kebsah, as I didn't have a recipe and had only had Kebsah once before. We've made a few changes since that first experience but this is, according to the SU a true Kebsah dish.

Enjoy Kebsah:

6-8 pieces of chicken, skin and bone on.
8 cups of Water
1 Large (or 2 small) Onions, diced
1 tsp Cumin
1 tsp Garam Marsala
1 tsp Tumeric
1 tsp Dill Seed
2 cloves of Garlic (finely chopped)
1 (or more) Jalapeno (optional)
Salt and Pepper to Taste
3 Cups of Basmati Rice
1 tbsp of Vegetable Oil

In a large sauce pan, add the oil to the bottom of the pot, allow to heat.
Add the onions to the heated oil and cook until they begin to become translucent
Add the Garlic, Jalapeno and all the dried spices and the Salt and Pepper.
Stir frequently to coat the onion and flavour the pot while allowing the spices to begin to heat through.
Add the chicken pieces, a few at a time, to sear the outside of the chicken remove when seared on all sides and add the next pieces until all have been seared.

When all the chicken pieces have been browned, place them all back in the pot and cover with all the water. Stir well to get all the flavour off the bottom of the pot. Bring the water to a boil and turn down to a simmer for 30-45 minutes until all the chicken is cooked through.

At this point, remove the chicken from the water and pour the water into the a large bowl.

Return the pot to the stove, turn the heat back to high and add the rice to the pot. Stir the dried rice to pick up flavour and to brown the rice. Avoid burning the dried rice. Salt the rice to your tastes.

Add the chicken pieces to the surface of the dry rice. Use a ladle and measuring cup to measure out 6 cups of the cooking broth to add back to the rice/chicken pot. Note if the there is not enough broth left, use tap water to top up the amount or if you have additional chicken broth (store bought or home made) use that to make up the difference. You will want a 2-1 ratio for the Rice to cook properly.

Bring the water to a boil, reduce to low and cover with a tight fitting lid. Allow the rice to cook for 12-15 minutes or until done and all the water is absorbed.

When the rice is cooked, empty the whole pot onto a large platter and serve family style in the middle of the table, allowing everyone to help themselves to rice and chicken.

Serving suggestions:

This is a staple meal and can be seen to be a little dull - it's pretty much only rice and chicken after all. Serve it with a Cucumber-yogurt salad or with a tomato salsa type salad or tahini salad. Any of these served as side and spooned over the rice on the plate will add an extra flavour element to this classic meal.