Lamb kabsa

Slow-cooked lamb kabsa with fragrant spiced rice

Lamb kabsa is a dish that rewards patience. The lamb simmers gently for hours, and the spiced sauce it leaves behind goes on to cook the rice, so the whole dish carries one deep, savoury flavour from start to finish. Warm notes of cinnamon and cardamom sit alongside the sharp tang of dried lime. Lift the lid and the aroma tells you it is ready long before the first taste.

Tender lamb simmered in kabsa spice

A good measure of Lurpak® Unsalted Butter and a bit of patience go a long way when making lamb kabsa. After about three hours of slow simmering, the meat becomes incredibly soft, absorbing the kabsa spice blend around it as it cooks. The blend itself is a warm, complex mix of dried lime, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper, with the dried lime bringing a sharp, citrus note that sets kabsa apart from other spiced rice dishes.

As the lamb braises, the spices work deep into the meat rather than just coating it. The result is rich and aromatic, but never hot.

Basmati rice cooked in rich meat sauce

Basmati is the rice of choice for lamb kabsa because it is naturally low in starch, so the grains stay separate and fluffy rather than clumping together the way a starchier rice would. The rice is where all that patient work pays off.

Long-grain basmati soaks and cooks in the strained meat sauce, swelling into long, tender grains. Each one is saturated with the flavour of the braise, so the rice tastes of the lamb and spices even before you reach the meat. A good kabsa rice is fluffy and loose, every grain glistening faintly with the juices from the sauce.

Topped with fried nuts, raisins, and pistachios

Crown your lamb kabsa with fried nuts, raisins, and chopped pistachios. Cashews, pine nuts and almonds are fried in butter until golden for a warm, toasty crunch against the soft rice and meat. Golden raisins add little bursts of sweetness that cut through the savoury spice, while raw chopped pistachios lend colour and a nutty bite. As a finishing touch, they turn each mouthful into a contrast of textures, exactly what a dish of tender meat and soft rice needs to stay lively.

A Middle Eastern speciality for a family gathering or special occasions

Kabsa is one of the best-known dishes of the Middle East and is widely regarded as the national dish of Saudi Arabia. It is, at heart, food for sharing, whether the dish uses lamb or chicken, usually served as one generous platter.

That communal spirit is why it so often appears at celebrations, weddings, and holiday meals. But it belongs to no single date on the calendar, and it is just as fitting for a weekday or weekend meal.

If you have a taste for rice dishes from around the world, there is plenty more to cook. Try a chicken maqluba, layered and flipped to serve, a saffron risotto or a prawn and pea risotto.

Experiment and add your own touch

Kabsa adjusts easily to small changes, so make sure to put your mark on it. Adjust the kabsa spice up or down to suit how boldly spiced you want it to be, or stir a little extra dried lime through for a sharper, more citrusy finish. Vary the garnish freely, too, leaning more on the preferred nuts or holding back the raisins if you prefer less sweetness.

From there, add as much or as little as you like alongside the lamb. A grated carrot, a couple of chopped tomatoes, or some fried potatoes all melt happily into the spiced broth and rice, while a handful of peas stirred through near the end brings colour and freshness. A whole chilli in the pot turns up the heat for those who want it, and a stick of cinnamon or a few cardamom pods deepens the aroma further.