Kabsa
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| Alternative names | Arabic: كبسة |
|---|---|
| Course | Meal |
| Region or state | Arabian Peninsula[1] |
| Main ingredients | Rice (usually long-grain, almost always basmati), chicken, vegetables, and a mixture of spices (cardamom, saffron, cinnamon, black lime, bay leaves and nutmeg) |
| Variations | Machboos (Arabic: مكبوس/مچبوس, romanized: makbūs/machbūs) |
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| Part of a series on |
| Arab cuisine |
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Kabsa (Arabic: كبسة, romanized: kabsah), also known as Makboos (Gulf Arabic: مكبوس) or Machboos (Gulf Arabic: المجبوس [mɑtʃˈbuːs]) is an Arab mixed rice dish that originates from Saudi Arabia[2] or Yemen.[3] It is commonly regarded as a national dish in all the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council. It can also be found in regions such as southern Iran and Gaza in Palestine.[1]
History
The dish's origins are contested, with several theories as to its origin. It is believed that the Kabsa was prepared by Bedouin tribes who roamed the deserts of the Arabian Peninsula. They relied on simple and readily available ingredients: rice, meat (usually lamb or chicken), and a blend of spices.[2] Another theory is that the Kabsa is inspired from another Yemeni dish, the mandi, a rice dish cooked with meat in a pit.[4] A third theory says that the dish was inspired from the Paella, a Spanish rice dish that used to be prepared by the Andalusians.[5]
Over time, as trade routes expanded and new ingredients became accessible, variations of kabsa began to emerge. Each region in Saudi Arabia has its own version of kabsa. Despite these differences, the essence remains—the combination of rice, meat, and aromatic spices.[6][better source needed]
In 2021, the Ministry of Culture of Saudi Arabia, announced an initiative to promote Kabsa as part of it's national heritage.[4]
Etymology
The name comes from the arabic root k-b-s (Arabic: ك ب س), literally meaning to press or squeeze, alluding to the technique used in the cooking where the ingredients are all cooked in (or "squeezed into") one pot.[citation needed]
Ingredients
These dishes, of which there are many variations, are usually made with rice (usually basmati), meat, vegetables, and a mixture of spices.
Pre-mixed kabsa spices are now available under several brand names. These reduce preparation time, but may have a flavor distinct from traditional kabsa. The spices used in kabsa are largely responsible for its taste; these are generally black pepper, cloves, cardamom, saffron, cinnamon, black lime, bay leaves and nutmeg.[7]
The main ingredient that accompanies the spices is the meat. The meats used are usually chicken, goat, lamb, camel, beef, fish or shrimp. In chicken machbūs, a whole chicken is used.[citation needed]
The spices, rice, and meat may be augmented with almonds, pine nuts, peanuts, onions, and sultanas.[8] The dish can be garnished with ḥashū (Arabic: حشو) and served hot with daqqūs (Arabic: دقّوس), which is a home-made Arabic tomato sauce.[citation needed]
Methods of cooking
Meat for kabsa can be cooked in various ways. A popular way of preparing meat is called mandi. This ancient technique originates from Yemen, and involves a type of earth oven called the tannor, whereby a whole lamb meat is barbecued in a deep hole in the ground that is then covered while the meat cooks.[10] Another way of preparing and serving meat for kabsa is mathbi, where seasoned meat is grilled on flat stones that are placed on top of burning embers. A third technique, madghūt, involves cooking the meat in a pressure cooker.[citation needed]
See also
- Haneeth, mixed rice dish from Yemen
- Maqluba, mixed rice dish from the Levant
- Arab cuisine
- National symbols of Saudi Arabia
- National symbols of Kuwait
References
- ^ a b Anissa Helou (4 October 2018). Feast: Food of the Islamic World. Bloomsbury. ISBN 9781526605566.
- ^ a b "Al Kabsa - Ancient Arabian Chicken and Fragrant Rice Recipe - Food.com". Food.com. 2022-05-27. Archived from the original on 2022-05-27. Retrieved 2024-07-28.
This classic Arabian dish is Saudi Arabian in origin
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ Edwards, Grace (2023-12-19). Saudi Arabia. Bradt Travel Guides. p. 111. ISBN 978-1-80469-237-0.
Kabsa is the national dish of Saudi Arabia, though it originates from Yemen and is eaten throughout the Arabian Peninsula.
- ^ a b "Kabsa Saudi Arabia's Culinary Crown Jewel". sauditimes.org. Retrieved 2025-05-07.
- ^ "لا .. الكبسة ليست سعودية الجذور". جريدة الرياض (in Arabic). Archived from the original on 2025-05-08. Retrieved 2025-05-13.
- ^ Keliher, Irene (2023-09-27). "Kabsa: The Iconic Dish as Prepared in Saudi Arabia". Beyond Borders. Retrieved 2024-07-28.
- ^ "Al Kabsa - Traditional Rice dish". Food.com. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
- ^ "How to Make Kabsa". Archived from the original on 17 December 2011. Retrieved 23 June 2012.
- ^ Salloum, Habeeb (2010). The Arabian nights cookbook : from lamb kebabs to baba ghanouj, delicious homestyle Arabian cooking. Suan I. Lim. Tokyo: Tuttle Pub. ISBN 978-1-4629-0524-9. OCLC 782879761.
- ^ Anissa Helou (4 October 2018). Feast: Food of the Islamic World. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 9781526605566.