COPPER🇧🇭 Bahrain
Machboos recipe
Savor the aromatic flavors of this traditional Bahraini dish.
Ingredients
- 400 g basmati rice
- 800 g chicken
- 2 onions
- 2 tomatoes
- 4 garlic
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 cardamom pods
- 4 cloves
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tbsp salt
- 800 ml water
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
How to make Machboos
- Chop 1 onion, 3 garlic cloves, and 1 tomato, measuring all ingredients beforehand.
- In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium heat until shimmering.
- Sauté the chopped onion for about 5-7 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring occasionally.
- Add the minced garlic and diced tomato to the pot, mixing well for 2 minutes.
- Stir in a cinnamon stick, 4 cardamom pods, 4 cloves, and 1 bay leaf, cooking until fragrant for 5 minutes.
- Place 800 g of chicken pieces into the pot, browning them on all sides, about 8-10 minutes.
- Pour in 4 cups of water, bringing the mixture to a boil over high heat.
- Once boiling, reduce heat to low, cover the pot, and let it simmer for 30 minutes.
- Stir in 2 cups of rinsed basmati rice, then cover again and cook on low heat for 15-20 minutes until rice is tender.
- Fluff the rice with a fork and let it rest uncovered for 10 minutes before serving hot.
What is Machboos?
Machboos is a traditional dish from Bahrain, simmered in one pot, and takes about 90 minutes from start to finish. It is built around chicken and basmati rice. The recipe below uses 12 ingredients and is written out step by step.
How long does Machboos take?
At 90 minutes it is slower than 62% of the 588 dishes in Copper's atlas. Copper's atlas has 65 dishes built on chicken. The method runs to 10 steps, the longest being 30 minutes.
Any tips for making Machboos?
Rinsing the rice helps achieve perfectly fluffy grains.
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