Kuwaiti chicken and basmati rice perfumed with dried black lime, cardamom and warm spices.
Machboos is central to Gulf cooking and Kuwait has its own deeply familiar versions. Dried black lime, or loomi, gives the rice a distinctive tart, aromatic edge.
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- Prep
- 25 minutes
- Cook
- 1 hour 15 minutes
- Serves
- 6
The recipe
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Ingredients
Quantities change with servings; cooking times stay the same.
Method
-
Brown chicken lightly in oil and remove.
-
Cook onion until golden, then add tomato, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, baharat and black lime.
-
Return chicken, add stock and simmer about 30 minutes until nearly tender.
-
Lift chicken out. Measure enough cooking liquid for the rice, add drained rice and cook covered over low heat for 15–18 minutes.
-
Return chicken to the pot or brown it separately under a hot grill. Rest rice 10 minutes and finish with saffron if using.
Chef’s notes
Pierce the dried limes rather than crushing them, which can make the dish bitter. Keep the rice covered during its final steam.
Substitutions
If loomi is unavailable, use a small amount of lime zest at the end, though the flavor will not be identical.
Serve with
Daqoos tomato sauce and salad
Storage
Cool promptly and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat chicken and rice until piping hot.
Allergens
No major allergens are required in the base recipe; check spice blends and stock.
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