Kabsa – Saudi chicken with spiced rice

Ingredients

• 1 kg bone-in chicken thighs
• 350 g basmati rice
• 1 chopped onion
• 3 finely chopped garlic cloves
• 2 diced tomatoes
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 3 tbsp oil
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 cardamom pods
• 3 cloves
• 1 dried lime (loomi), pierced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1.1 l water
• 30 g raisins
• 30 g almonds
• salt and pepper

Method

1. 1Rinse rice and soak for 20 minutes. Sauté onion in oil, add garlic, tomato purée, tomatoes and spices and cook for 3 minutes.
2. 2Add chicken, dried lime and water. Simmer gently, covered, for 35–40 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
3. 3Remove chicken. Measure 7 dl stock, topping up with water if needed, and season with salt. Return to the pot and add drained rice and raisins.
4. 4Cook rice, covered, over low heat for 15–18 minutes. Turn off heat and rest for 10 minutes.
5. 5Brush chicken with a little stock and grill in the oven at 220 °C for 8–12 minutes until golden. Toast almonds in a dry pan and serve over rice with chicken.