National Dish of Kuwait Machboos
Ingredients
lamb (cut into cubes) | 1 kg | |
water | 2 ½ L | |
small onion (quartered) | 1 | |
onions (peeled and diced) | 2 | |
stick cinnamon | 1 | |
peppercorns | 1 tsp. | |
cloves | ½ tsp. | |
pieces cardamom | 5 | |
bay leaves | 2 | |
salt | 1 ½ tbsp. | |
ground cinnamon | ¼ tsp. | |
saffron powder | ¼ tsp. | |
pinch minced ginger | 1 | |
saffron threads | ¼ tsp. | |
lemon juice | 2 tbsp. | |
oil | 2 tbsp. | |
ground cumin | ¼ tsp. | |
Basmati rice | 1 kg. | |
sugar | ½ tsp. | |
raisins (soaked overnight) | 75 g | |
yellow split peas | 75 g | |
Ground cloves | ||
Black pepper |
Machboos is a rice and meat dish first prepared by the Bedouin people. The dish is very popular in Kuwait. Lamb is the meat of choice in this dish.
Directions for Preparing Machboos
- Place the meat cubes in a pot of water, all whole spices, salt, and the onion.
- Turn on the heat and let the water come to a boil, then remove the scum that forms on the surface of the water.
- Cover the pot, reduce the heat and let the meat boil for ninety (0:90) minutes.
- In a separate saucepan, boil the split peas in salted water for about twenty (0:20) minutes until tender.
- Drain the peas and set them aside.
- Sauté the diced onions in one tablespoon of oil until golden brown.
- Reduce the heat and then add the soaked raisins, cinnamon, one tablespoon of salt, cloves, black pepper, and sugar.
- Mix well while cooking then turns off the heat after a few minutes and set aside.
- When the lamb is finished boiling, drain in a colander, save the stock and discard the whole spices.
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees C.
- Mix the ground spices and rub over the meat cubes, then place the lamb in a baking dish.
- In a small bowl, combine a little water, lemon juice, one tablespoon of oil, one tablespoon of the meat stock, and saffron threads.
- Pour this over the meat, then cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for fifteen (0:15) minutes.
- Rinse the rice in water several times till the water runs clear; the last time, rinse the rice in water and one teaspoon of salt, then drain.
- In a clean saucepan, add the meat stock to cover the rice by two centimeters.
- Cook the rice over medium-high heat for about twenty (0:20) minutes until the liquid has been absorbed, then turn off the heat and set aside.
- Remove the meat from the oven and stir in the cooked raisin and split pea mixture.
- Serve the meat with cooked rice.
No Comments