Saudi Arabia's national rice dish, cooked the opposite way from biryani - instead of steaming rice and meat separately and layering them, kabsa simmers the meat in water to build a richly spiced broth first, then cooks the raw rice directly in that same liquid so every grain absorbs it.
•1 black lime (loomi), pierced, or 1 tsp dried lime powder
•A pinch of saffron
•4 cups water or chicken stock
•3 cups basmati rice, rinsed and soaked 20-30 min
•Salt, to taste
•Raisins and toasted almonds, for garnish
Steps
1.If making the baharat spice blend from scratch, toast the whole spices lightly in a dry pan for 1-2 minutes to enhance their aroma.
2.Heat the oil in a large pot and brown the chicken pieces on all sides, then remove and set aside.
3.Sauté the onion and garlic in the same pot until softened, then add the tomatoes, tomato paste, and baharat, and cook for a few minutes.
4.Return the chicken to the pot along with the black lime, saffron, and water or stock, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the broth is richly spiced, about 25-30 minutes.
5.Remove the chicken and set aside, then stir the rinsed, soaked rice directly into the same spiced broth - unlike biryani, where rice and meat are cooked separately, kabsa's rice cooks directly in the meat's own broth, absorbing all of its flavor.