The rich and flavoursome rice dish, Machboos, is the national dish of Qatar. Its depth of flavour comes from a combination of aromatic spices that produce a smoky taste. Served with a variety of meats, the dish is a favourite across the Arabian Sea.
Chef Noor Al Mazroei Recipe
Ingredients:
(Serves 2 / Prep time 20 minutes, cooking time approximately 1 hour)
1 chicken
2 cups of Basmati rice
Half a cup of white onion, cubed
Half a cup of tomatoes, roughly chopped
A quarter of a cup of chopped parsley
1 tablespoon of grated garlic
1 tablespoon of grated ginger
2 green hot peppers
4 tablespoons of Qatari bazaar (spice mix)
1/4 cup of vegetable oil
Qatari Bazaar:
(Can be use for 10 -15 Recipe / Keep in airtight jar and use as required)
1 cup of cumin seeds
1 cup of coriander seeds
½ cup of black lemon ground
½ cup of ginger powder
½ cup of cinnamon powder
½ cup turmeric powder
½ cup ground black pepper
Tablespoon ground saffron
Method of mixing Qatari Bazaar:
Roast cumin and coriander until brown
Grind and mix well with the remaining ingredients until all spices are blended
Remove from grinder into a container until use
Method:
Prepare your ingredients: Chop the onion, combine ginger, garlic and hot peppers in one bowl
Wash rice before soaking in water for an hour
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high flame and add correct spice, Qatari Bazaar, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, green pepper, lemon, salt and leave until the mixture blends and withers completely
Cut chicken in half and add into the pot until the mixture has turned the chicken red on both sides
Add 3 cups of boiling water and reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 40 minutes
Remove the chicken from the water, put it in an oven tray and cook on 190 °C / 170 Fan / 375°F for 10 minutes
Remove half of the water from the pot before adding rice and leave it on a low boil for 10 minutes until rice is cooked and has absorbed the liquid. Stir every 5 minutes
Transfer the chicken and rice to a serving dish