Food is an important item which presents the nation taste and culture of the country. Kabsa is famous all around the Saudi Arabia and is considered as national dish of Saudi Arabia. Kabsa can be found in many varieties depending upon its ingredients used for cooking. Mainly this dish is made by the mixture of spices, basmati rice, chicken and vegetables which are easily available to every community level in Saudi Arabia. The variety of meat is used in making Kabsa like chicken, goat meat and cow meat. The popular one is chicken made Kabsa around the country.
Our family including my cousins, uncles and aunts get together every month in our farmhouse which is about 60 miles away from the city. We usually get together in the farmhouse and stay there for several days. My first hand made Kabsa by myself was when I was ten years old at our farmhouse. At first day of our visit, me and my cousins asked grandma to make Kabsa because she was very famous for this dish in our family. She was hesitant because of age but got ready to cook it when we insisted her a lot, but she asked us to help her in cooking this dish. My aunt live very far from our farmhouse was expected to be in afternoon so the Kabsa will be served after her arrival. I was helping my mother and others in cleaning house, decorating and placing things which are necessary while living here. There is a market present near to our farm house. My duty with my brothers was to bring the chicken for Kabsa.
Kabsa can be cooked in various ways including pressure cooker, Mandi and Mathbi. My grandmother was an old lady who prefers the old ancient method for making Kabsa which Mandi. Mandi is a deep hole in the ground for barbecuing of chicken. Lot of spices are used for marinating chicken including black pepper, cloves, cardamom, saffron, cinnamon, black lime, bay leaves and nutmeg. These spices are basically responsible for Kabsa taste and these are added with lot of care. My grandmother marinated the chicken and it is ready to be barbecued. We placed the chicken in the hole and sealed to be barbecued and to get the taste of the smoke.
As our aunt was expected to reach later in afternoon, grandmother stopped working on that until her arrival time come closer. I and my cousins planned a soccer match. We played soccer match making two groups of 6 members each team. I was not really any good at in playing soccer, so they put me as a goal keeper. We unfortunately lost our match because other side played well in the match.
All were tired and I decided to take a nap before my aunt arrives. Grandma started cooking the Kabsa and I was standing beside for learning how to cook Kabsa. At first place, chicken which was earlier marinated with spices and browned using some onions and spices are barbecued in the hole which is covered during the barbecue process. After the chicken is barbecued and it’s ready to be served, water is added and then liquid is drained off to add rice. Chicken is browned further to bring its original delicious taste and rice are cooked in meat stock using various spices like black pepper, cloves, black lime, bay leaves, almonds, pine nuts, onions and raisins. After the rice is cooked properly, Kabsa is ready to be served to everyone.
I and all other family members were hungry and desperately waiting for aunt to arrive so that we can have our traditional Kabsa. Thank God she arrived in time and after getting fresh, grandma was serving the Kabsa to everyone. Grandma cooked Kabsa in Mandi which is very popular and ancient way to cook Kabsa. The taste was so delicious that everyone was eating more than they can. Kabsa was served with fresh salad, rice cooked, and traditional drinks which are considered very healthy for humans in Saudi Arabia.
I really enjoyed that day in the farmhouse with Kabsa, playing soccer and spending the day with my beloved relatives. These are the best memories of my life and I always remind them to enjoy in my life. I wish to have such days again and again in my life and eat Kabsa cooked by my grandmother.
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