CHICKEN KABSA - ARABIAN CHICKEN & RICE

    My love for Biriyani is self-proclaimed and anything in the name of flavoured Rice which falls into the genre is also liked heads down by my Biriyani loving self. My acquaintance with Arabian food started during my Son's university days. The nearby apartment had a food court called Blue Moon and it was a place that catered a wide range of food. The University was surrounded by Hawker centres, Curry Houses, Mamak Shops, Shabu Shabu and restaurants which flaunted various Cuisines right from Arab, African, Korean and what not. The Pizza place in Blue Moon Café(Desa Palma) was a highlight throughout his years in Nilai. A trip to his apartment and a dinner without Pizza was unquestionable. They also catered Naan with Dhal, Subzis and Tandoori Chicken. My husband is always head over heels for this Naan and Dhal combo. Then the Shawarmas, Falafel and the Arab restaurants had loads of Arab dishes & what caught my taste was their Rice dishes - Mandi, Kabsa, Muqluba, Mansaf. Love those days.  

    My initial trial of Arab Rice went with Chicken Mandi and then with Kabsa. To perfect it to the core I went along in search of authentic spices & ingredients for the dish. But, most of the spices turned out to be ones mostly used in my kitchen. Just one ingredient, especially the dried Lemons which gave the authentic taste to these rice dishes was something new. Then for the spice mixes, I tried my hand with fresh homemade spices for these Arab Rice recipes. 

    Well, coming back to Kabsa. If Mandi is for Yemen then Kabsa is for Saudi Arabia. Kabsa is a Saudi dish of chicken or lamb and rice. It is considered as Saudi Arabia’s national dish loved by all Saudis and least to say to all who have had a chance to taste Kabsa. It’s not particularly difficult to make, but it has layers of flavour and garnishing it with Raisins & Almonds give a whole lot of texture too. It is usually a heavily spiced dish(not as heavily spiced in terms of Indian dishes) and has a nice kick to it.

    Traditionally, it’s made by cooking the chicken with spices in water and then using the broth to cook the rice. The chicken is then quickly broiled or baked to crisp it up a little and then served atop the spicy rice often with a salsa-like sauce on the side called Daqous.

For DAQOUS - SPICY TOMATO SAUCE, click here...

Cuisine - Arabian; Mediterranean

Course - Main Course

Spice Level - Medium

Difficulty - Medium

Serves - 4-6

Author - SM

Preparation Time - 20 - 30 Minutes

Soaking Time - 15- 20 Minutes

Cooking Time - 50 Minutes to 1 Hour

For CHICKEN MANDI RECIPE, click here... 

HOW TO COOK CHICKEN KABSA

CHICKEN KABSA - ARABIAN CHICKEN & RICE

INGREDIENTS:

For Chicken Kabsa:

Oil - 1/2 Cup

Onions - 3 Cups 

Grated Ginger - 1 Tspn

Chicken Thighs - 4 Pieces

Salt - To Taste 

Orange Zest - 1 Tbspn

Dried Lemon - 1 No. 

Tomato Paste - 2 Tbspns

Tomato - 3 Cups

Water - 6 Cups

Basmati Rice - 3 Cups

For Kabsa Spice Mix:

Black Pepper - 1 Tbspn 

Cardamom - 6 Pods

Cinnamon (1" Stick) - 2 Nos.

Clove Powder - 2-3 Nos.

Kabsa Garnish:

Oil - 3 Tbspn

Almonds - 1/2 Cup 

Raisins - 1/2 Cup

For the Smoky Flavour(optional):

Charcoal Briquette - 1 Big Piece

Ramekin - 1

Vegetable Oil - 2 Tbspn

CHICKEN KABSA - ARABIAN CHICKEN & RICE

METHOD:

Preparation: 

• Blanch the Almonds and cut them into halves or thin slices.
• Heat oil in a pan and fry the sliced Almonds on a low flame until it turns golden yellow.
• Remove & keep it aside.
• Next, fry the Raisins on a very low flame until it fluffs up. Remove & keep it aside 
• Clean & Wash the Rice 2-3 times or until water runs clear.
• Soak the Rice for about 15-20 minutes. 
• Briefly dry roast the Spices mentioned under Kabsa Spices on a very low flame & grind it into a fine powder and keep it aside.

For Chicken Kabsa: 

• Heat a deep pan or a pot, big enough to cook the rice.
• Add Oil, add finely chopped Onions, grated Ginger & sauté it until Onions browns slightly.
• Now add Chicken Thighs, and sear it until the colour changes.
• Sprinkle a dash of salt and give a quick stir.
• Then, add Orange Zest, Dried Lemon & Kabsa Spice Mix to the above & give a quick stir.
• Now add Tomato Paste, finely chopped Tomatoes and mix well.
• Cook on a medium-low flame for a few minutes or until tomatoes turn soft & cooked.
• When oil starts to separate from the mix, pour in 6 cups of water.
• Cover & Cook the Chicken on a medium-low flame for about 20-25 minutes.
• Once the chicken pieces are cooked, remove them and place the Chicken Pieces on a baking pan.
• Now add the soaked Basmati Rice to the gravy & mix well.
• Adjust the Salt. Can add thin strips of Carrots at this stage.
• Place a clean kitchen cloth on top of the pan.
• Cover the pan tightly with a lid and cook on a medium-low flame for about 20 minutes.
• Once cooked leave it aside undisturbed for about 10 minutes.
• Then open the lid & gently fluff up the cooked rice.
• Meanwhile, bake the Chicken Pieces in an Electric Oven.
• Place the baking pan in a preheated oven at 210 °C or 425 °F and cook for about 10-15 minutes.
• When the outside of the chicken starts to brown, lower the heat to 160 °C or 325 °F and cook for another 10 -15 Minutes.
• Remove the chicken and keep it aside.
• Finally, just before serving, fluff up the Kabsa Rice and spread it on a big serving plate.
• Place the chicken pieces and fried nuts & raisins over it.
• Serve Chicken Kabsa hot with Daquos, Curd Raitha or with any other preferred Salad. 

For Smoky Flavour (Optional):

• Place a small ramekin in the middle with some vegetable oil inside.
• Add the red-hot coal inside the oil and cover the pot with a lid.
• Leave the smoky charcoal inside the Kabsa pot for a while.
• It will give the Chicken Kabsa a smoky flavour.
• But this step is purely optional.
  

CHICKEN KABSA - ARABIAN CHICKEN & RICE

 

NOTES:

• Can use any variety of long-grained rice or Basmati rice.
• Cooking at low temperature will give the chicken a nice texture, and it will fall off the bone easily.
• Adjust the cooking time accordingly.
• Can use lamb instead of chicken, but the cooking time will vary.
• Can also cook the chicken in a microwave oven with grill settings.
• I have used about 6 Cups of Water in this recipe, which is good enough to cook both Chicken & Rice.
• I usually use 11/2 cups of water for 1 cup of rice. So I needed about 41/2 cups of water for Rice & I have added 11/2 cups of water to cook chicken.
• Adjust the amount of water according to the type of rice you are using.
• Some recipes call for adding thin Strips of Carrots in Kabsa. If using, add about 3/4 Cup of Carrots.
• Inducing the smoky flavour to the Chicken Kabsa is optional, but it gives an authentic flavour to the dish.

CHINESE CHILLI OIL

    Chinese Chilli Oil is an all-new ingredient in my Pantry and it is like, I am surely going to have a batch forever. Though a new condiment, It's so spicy and being spicy is one main aspect which has always got a big welcome at home. I made this Chilli Oil specifically for Chilli Garlic Fried Rice Recipe. And now I am hooked with this Chilli Oil.

    Chilli Oil is an important staple in Chinese Cuisine, a condiment most commonly used along with Soy Sauce & Vinegar.  My first thought that Chilli Oil should be something like, Chilli infused Oil, but my preconception shattered when I pondered for the recipe. In my opinion, Chinese Chilli Oil is more sophisticated than simply being hot & spicy. It is layered with several dimensions impressing & surprising your palate. Initially, Oil is heated along with Garlic, Ginger & Spring Onions, and then it is poured over to the toasted Spices. 

    What goes into this Chilli Oil is rather straight forward in terms of ingredients. And the small steps to make those ingredients flavourful & aromatic is the trick behind perfect Chinese Chilli Oil. Dry roasting the Spices like Sichuan Peppercorns, Cinnamon, Cloves, Cardamom, Star Anise, Bay Leaf gives out a wonderful aroma to the oil. Toasted Sesame Seeds also release a nutty aroma into the Chilli Oil. And those dry roasted and coarsely ground Dry Red Chilli is the show stopper of this Chilli Oil. I should say when the Chilli & Spice Mixtures get infused into the hot oil, its powerful scent will envelop the air and linger in your kitchen for quite some time, it was inside my lungs making me cough for a while too.

CHINESE CHILLI OIL

    But all these steps are worth the effort. Though it may seem to be a bit intimidating in the beginning, once you get the knack of it, it is going to be an absolutely easy & effortless recipe. As easy 

as it is & you can make it on the go.  All the more you may need just about 5-10 minutes to make this Chilli Oil & there you are with the best homemade Chilli Oil with extra flavour, fragrance, nuttiness & smokiness.

    This homemade Chinese Chilli Oil goes well with Noodles, Dumplings, Momos, Salads and can be used while making Fried Rice, Stir-Fries etc., And above all when a recipe is homemade, I feel accomplished with a feeling that I have learnt how to make it from scratch and above all I know what ingredients are added into it with a safe feeling that this homemade Condiment has No MSG, No Preservative & No Additives. And one personal suggestion, if you are making a large batch or if you are a person who seldom uses this Chilli Oil, do store it in the refrigerator.  

STEPS FOR A PERFECT CHINESE CHILLI OIL

CHINESE CHILLI OIL

 

DRY ROASTING:

• Dry Roast all the Spices, then the Sesame Seeds & Dry Red Chillies separately. 

SPICES:

• You may need 4 aromatic spices - Star Anise, Cinnamon, Bay Leaves & Sichuan Peppercorns.
  
• You can also add, Green or Black Cardamoms & Cloves If you want a bit more flavour and complexity in Chilli Oil.

AROMATICS:

• I have used Garlic Cloves, Ginger & Spring Onions to add aroma to the Chilli Oil. 
• Some recipes also call for adding Shallots, Dry Ginger etc., 

CHILLI FLAKES:

• We need Chilli flakes or coarsely ground Dry Chillies for the recipe. Several Chilli flake varieties are available in the market & online. Use your preferred variety. Choose the right type of Chilli Flakes. Check the heat(spiciness) level. Start from medium if you like. I personally wouldn't prefer using mild ones.
•  I have used the long spicy variety of Dried Red Chillies available in the local market. First, I dry roasted(on a very low flame) the Dried Chillies until they turned crisp(you should be able to break it when you press it with your hands). Then I ground the roasted Dry Chillies coarsely like chilli flakes. Also, this variety of Chillies yields you a bright red hued Chilli Oil.  
• And I am not an expert to suggest Dry Chilli varieties for Chilli Oil. The dry Chilli variety I used did total justification to the Chilli Oil giving the needed smokiness & bright red colour.  
• Coarsely grind the roasted Dry Chillies and use them. Alternatively can use Chilli flakes.

FLAVOURFUL CHILLI OIL:

• Next, use any neutral tasting oil for the recipe.
• First, heat the oil with garlic cloves, ginger & spring onions. Let it sit on a low flame for about 5 minutes until the essence & fragrance of the above ingredients get well infused into the oil.
• Then pour out the hot Oil into the Spices & Sesame seeds. The oil needs to be at the right temperature to bring out the best fragrance from the spices. It will be less flavoursome if the oil is not hot enough. The most important factor is to keep the temperature of Oil in control.
• The secret is to infuse the oil with a special blend of aromatics first, then pour it over crushed Chilli flakes. 
• Pouring very hot oil can burn the Chilli flakes. So, one trick I learnt is to transfer the hot oil(draining out the garlic cloves, ginger & spring onions) into a wide ceramic bowl, which reduces the temperature a bit. Then I add Chilli flakes to the Oil & stir it well until well combined.
• Keep in mind, once you pour the hot oil into the spices, it should smell nutty & smoky( coughing around) & shouldn't smell burnt.
• Also, keep in mind that pouring hot oil into a glass jar can shatter it. So make sure to use a heatproof glass jar for the purpose. Keep in mind that we are dealing with hot oil in this recipe. So safety must be taken care of. I suggest using a ceramic bowl or any other heatproof bowl to mix all the ingredients.  

ADD-ONS:

• Some Chilli Oil recipes add Light Soy Sauce, Black Vinegar or Sesame Oil along with the basic ingredients. 
• But traditional recipes used just neutral-tasting Oil, Chilli flakes & Salt. 

SALT:

• Add the salt into the Chilli Oil mix at the final stage.

STORING:

• Then, I suggest transferring the Chilli Oil to a glass container when the oil cools down a bit. Use a clean, dry glass bottle with a tight lid to store Chinese Chilli Oil.
• Store it in a clean & dry place, free from moisture. Preferably, store homemade Chilli Oil in the refrigerator. 

SERVING:

• Wait for at least 10-12 hours or a day before using the Chilli Oil. This is to allow all the flavours to get well infused into the Oil. After a few days, Chilli flakes and sesame seeds tend to stay at the bottom of the container. 
• Use a clean & dry spoon to stir before serving. If your dish requires pure chilli oil, use a sieve to filter out the chilli flakes and sesame seeds. 

Cuisine - Chinese
Recipe - Condiment

Spice Level -  Medium - HIgh
Difficulty - Easy
Yields - 2 Cups
Author - SM

Preparation Time - 5 - 10 Minutes
Cooking Time - 5 - 10 Minutes


For more SOUTHEAST ASIAN RECIPES, Click here...

HOW TO MAKE CHINESE CHILLI OIL

CHINESE CHILLI OIL

INGREDIENTS:

For the Oil: 

Oil - 2 Cups

Ginger - 3-4 Slices

Garlic - 3-4 Cloves

Spring Onions - 2 Stalks

SPICES:

Star Anise - 2 Nos.

Cinnamon Stick - 1 long piece

Bay Leaves - 2 Nos,

Cardamom - 5 Pods

Cloves - 3 Nos.

Sichuan Pepper Corns - 1 Tspn

Sesame Seeds - 11/2 Tbspn

Dry Red Chillies - 10-12 Nos.

Add ons:

Salt - To Taste

CHINESE CHILLI OIL

METHOD: 

• Dry roast the spices mentioned under "Spices" on a very low flame until it turns aromatic.  
• Transfer the roasted spices into a bowl & keep them aside.
• Next, dry Roast the Sesame Seeds on a very low flame until it splutters. Remove it from the pan and keep it aside.
• Dry roast(on a very low flame) the Dried Red Chillies until it turns crisp(you should be able to break it when you press it with your hands). It should be super roasted. 
• Grind the roasted Dry Chillies coarsely like chilli flakes & keep them aside.
• Meanwhile, heat oil in a saucepan or a pot big enough to hold the oil & the ingredients.
• Add sliced Ginger, slightly crushed Garlic Cloves and roughly cut Spring Onion stalks.
• Heat it on a medium flame for a few minutes.
• Then reduce the flame and heat it for another 5-7 minutes on a very low flame.
• The idea is to get the oil infused with the aromatics. It shouldn't burn or turn dark. 
• If you notice that the aromatics are sizzling vigorously and turning dark too quickly, remove the oil from the fire.
• Sieve the hot Oil & transfer it into a wide ceramic bowl or any other heatproof bowl. 
• Add the dry roasted Spices, Sesame Seeds & Chilli flakes & mix well until well combined.
• Stirring the ingredients will help you to manage the heat and also would avoid burning the ingredients.
• Make sure that the Oil is NOT TOO HOT while pouring it into the Spices & Chilli flakes. 
• Stir in the Salt and mix well.
• When the Chilli Oil cools down a bit, transfer it into a glass bottle.
• Store it in the refrigerator for longer shelf life.
• If stored properly, Homemade Chilli Oil can stay good for up to 6 months.

NOTES:

• Adjust the number of Dry Red Chillies & sichuan Peppercorns to suit yourspice level.
• Use any preferred spices from the above list.
• Use any NEUTRAL TASTING OIL for the Chilli Oil Recipe.