Saudi Arabia's national dish: whole chicken pieces braised in a fragrant broth of tomato, Gulf spices, and dried lime, then served on saffron-golden rice with toasted nuts and raisins.
Kabsa (كبسة) is the national dish of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states — an aromatic one-pot of meat and rice that represents the Bedouin cooking tradition's most celebrated expression. The dish is the Gulf equivalent of India's biryani or Iran's polo: rice cooked in spiced meat broth until fluffy and fragrant, topped with the meat and a garnish of nuts, raisins, and dried fruit. What makes kabsa distinctive and immediately recognisable is its spice mixture, which typically includes dried limes (loomi, or black limes), cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves, cloves, and a specific proprietary blend called baharat, which varies by family and region but always contains warm, dark spices. Dried limes — Omani loomi that have been dried in the sun until black and rattling — are added whole to the broth and provide a distinctive sour, smoky, tangy backdrop that is impossible to replicate with any other ingredient. The rice is long-grain basmati or Egyptian rice, cooked to complete absorption in the spiced chicken broth, and the whole dish is heaped onto a massive communal tray at the centre of the table, garnished with golden raisins, fried almonds, and pine nuts.
Serves 6
Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken pieces in batches until golden on all sides. Remove and set aside.
In the same pot, fry the onions until golden, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and fry 1 minute. Add chopped tomatoes, dried limes, cardamom, cinnamon sticks, cloves, bay leaves, ground coriander, cumin, turmeric, baharat, and salt. Stir well and cook 5 minutes.
Return the chicken to the pot. Add 4 cups water to just cover. Bring to a boil, skim any foam, then simmer covered for 35–40 minutes until the chicken is completely tender. Remove the chicken pieces and set aside. Strain and reserve the broth.
Measure 3.5 cups of the strained chicken broth into a pot. Add the bloomed saffron and drained rice. Bring to a boil, stir once, then cover tightly and cook on the lowest heat for 18 minutes. Remove from heat and rest covered 10 minutes.
The dried limes impart a distinctive sour-smoky flavour to the broth — do not discard them before straining.
In a small pan, fry almonds and pine nuts in butter until golden. Add raisins and fry 30 seconds. Drain on paper towels.
Mound the saffron rice on a large serving platter. Arrange the chicken pieces on top. Scatter fried nuts and raisins generously over everything. Serve with a simple green salad and yogurt.
Dried limes (loomi) are the non-negotiable signature ingredient of Gulf kabsa — find them at Middle Eastern or South Asian grocery stores; they keep indefinitely.
Pierce the dried limes several times with a knife before adding — this allows the broth to penetrate and extracts maximum flavour.
The baharat blend varies by brand and region — try a Gulf baharat blend (different from Lebanese baharat) if available for the most authentic flavour.
Lamb kabsa: substitute bone-in lamb pieces and increase braise time to 1.5 hours.
Seafood kabsa: use large prawns or whole fish — reduce the braise time dramatically (prawns take only 5 minutes).
Kabsa keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat rice with a splash of water in a covered pan. The broth from cooking freezes well and can be used for future rice dishes.
Kabsa is deeply rooted in the Bedouin culture of the Arabian Peninsula, where cooking meat with aromatic rice was a practical and festive preparation for large gatherings. The dish's distinguishing ingredients — dried limes, Gulf baharat, and saffron — reflect centuries of spice trade routes through the Gulf, with Oman and Bahrain as historic trading hubs for spices from India, Persia, and East Africa. Kabsa is today recognised as Saudi Arabia's national dish and is served at celebrations and formal meals across all Gulf countries.
Dried limes (loomi, or black limes) are whole fresh limes that have been dried in the sun until they turn black and hollow inside. They have a unique sour, slightly smoky, intensely lime flavour. There is no perfect substitute — a combination of lime zest and a splash of tamarind water approximates some of the tartness, but the dried lime character is irreplaceable.
The braising stage must be done on the stovetop or in the oven. However, once you have the spiced chicken broth, you can cook the rice in a rice cooker using the measured broth instead of water.
Baharat is a Middle Eastern spice blend whose composition varies by region. Gulf baharat typically contains black pepper, coriander, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, and dried rose petals. Lebanese baharat is similar but without rose petals. Ready-mixed baharat is sold at Middle Eastern grocery stores.
Per serving (500g / 17.6 oz) · 6 servings total
Ask our AI cooking assistant anything about this recipe — substitutions, techniques, scaling.
Chat with AI Chef →Join the conversation
Sign in to leave a comment and save your favourite recipes
Have feedback or need help?
We read every email and reply within 1–2 business days.
© 2026 MyCookingCalendar. All rights reserved.