How to Make Al Machboos – UAE Food Recipes
Al Machboos is a traditional Emirati dish that crosses between risotto and biryani. Households in the UAE cook the rice in a spiced broth of chicken, beef, or lamb. At the same time, they meld the ingredients and spices to make delicious Al Machboos. Here are the ingredients and instructions to make Al Machboos.
Ingredients
- Six tablespoons of plain yogurt
- Two tablespoons of spice mix
- 5 kilograms of chicken
- 500 grams of basmati rice
- 80ml of vegetable oil
- Five cardamom pods
- Ten black peppercorns
- One cinnamon stick
- Two whole cracked Lumi
- 450 grams of chopped onions
- One tablespoon of crushed ginger
- One tablespoon of crushed garlic
- Four green chilies
- One teaspoon of turmeric
- One teaspoon of cumin
- One teaspoon of coriander powder
- 285 grams of potatoes
- Fresh coriander
For garnishing, you will need the following ingredients:
- Three tablespoons of cooking oil
- Two thinly sliced onions
- 85 grams of raw cashews
- 55 grams of raisins
- Fresh coriander
Instructions
- Combine four tablespoons of yogurt with one tablespoon of mixed spices in a large bowl
- Apply the mixture to the chicken and marinade for 60 minutes
- Rinse the rice and soak it in water, and cover for 60 minutes
- Heat the oil in the oven over medium-high heat
- Add cinnamon stick, peppercorns, Lumi, and cardamom pods
- Stir for two to five minutes
- Now add onions and cook until they are golden brown
- Next, add garlic, ginger, and green chilies and continue stirring for two minutes
- Add the chicken and cook for a few minutes
- Sprinkle some cumin, spice mix, coriander powder, and turmeric
- Add salt, two cups of water, and tomatoes
- Now bring to a boil, cover, and heat for 45 minutes on a lower heat
- Transfer the cooked chicken to a roasting pan
- Remove the Lumi and cinnamon stick from the stock
- Add fresh coriander and potatoes, and boil until potatoes are tender
- Adjust the stock with the rice and stir in some yogurt
- Seal the oven with aluminum foil and cook for 30 minutes
- Turn on the oven broiler and brush the chicken with oil and broil until it is golden
- Serve the rice on a plate with the chicken pieces
- Garnish with cashews, raisins, onions, and fresh coriander
