Al Kabsa (Traditional Saudi Rice and Chicken)

Ingredients

• 0.5 teaspoons saffron
• 0.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 0.5 teaspoons ground allspice
• 0.5 teaspoons dried whole lime powder
• 0.25 teaspoons ground cardamom
• 0.25 teaspoons ground white pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Make spice mix: Stir together saffron, cinnamon, allspice, lime powder, cardamom, and white pepper in a small bowl; set aside.

2. 2

   Make dish: Melt butter in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Cook and stir onion and garlic in butter until onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Add chicken and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Mix in tomato purée.

3. 3

   Stir in canned tomatoes with juice, carrots, cloves, nutmeg, cumin, coriander, salt, black pepper, and reserved spice mix. Cook for about 3 minutes; pour in water and add chicken bouillon cube.

4. 4

   Bring sauce to a boil, then reduce heat, and cover the pot. Simmer until chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear, about 30 minutes.

5. 5

   Gently stir in rice. Cover the pot and simmer until rice is tender and almost dry, about 25 minutes; add raisins and a little more hot water, if necessary. Cover and cook until rice grains separate, 5 to 10 minutes.

6. 6

   Transfer rice to a large serving platter and arrange chicken on top. Sprinkle with toasted slivered almonds.