Kabsat Elham - A Viral Bold New Twist on Saudi Kabsa
Kabsat Elham is not your average Kabsa. This viral Saudi food trend gives the beloved national dish a rich, flavorful twist that’s got everyone talking—and cooking. Packed with spices, tender chicken, and fragrant basmati rice, Kabsat Elham delivers bold flavor and comforting warmth, all cooked to perfection in a pressure cooker.
What Makes Kabsat Elham Special?
Originating as a creative variation on the classic Saudi Kabsa, Kabsat Elham has taken the internet by storm. It’s beloved for its deeper caramelized flavor, richer tomato base, and a perfectly balanced blend of aromatic spices. What sets it apart? The method. This dish is pressure-cooked, locking in flavor and speeding up the cooking time without compromising on authenticity.
Ingredients You’ll Need
To make Kabsat Elham at home, you'll need a handful of pantry staples and aromatic spices. This simple yet flavorful dish comes together with just the right mix of chicken, rice, and bold seasonings—all pressure-cooked to perfection. Here's what you'll need to get started.
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil (plus more for cooking)
- 1 medium diced onion
- 1 dried lime
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon white spice (Baharat or mixed Gulf spices)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 pack (small can) tomato paste
- 1 chicken stock cube
- 4 skinless chicken pieces
- 4 medium tomatoes
- 3 garlic cloves
- 4 cups water
- 2 cups basmati rice (soaked 30 minutes in hot water and drained)
- Salt to taste
- ½ green bell pepper
- Green chili pepper and cold yogurt (for serving)
Step-by-Step Recipe for Kabsat Elham
This easy pressure cooker method brings all the rich flavors of Kabsat Elham together quickly and deliciously. Follow these simple steps to recreate this viral Saudi favorite in your own kitchen.
1. Build Your Flavor Base
In a pressure cooker, heat 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the diced onion and sauté until it’s golden and caramelized. Then, toss in the dried lime to infuse its citrusy aroma into the base.
2. Add the Spices and Tomato Paste
Sprinkle in the ground coriander, white spice, and black pepper. Stir until fragrant. Then, mix in one pack of tomato paste and crumble in a chicken stock cube. Let everything come together into a rich, thick base.
3. Brown the Chicken
Add the skinless chicken pieces and sauté with the mixture for 5 minutes until the surface is lightly browned and the chicken is infused with the spices.
4. Blend and Add the Tomato-Garlic Mix
Blend 4 medium tomatoes with 3 garlic cloves until smooth. Pour this mixture into the pot, stir well to coat the chicken evenly, and simmer briefly.
5. Pressure Cook Round One
Add 4 cups of water to the mixture. Close the lid and pressure cook on low heat for 15 minutes. This allows the chicken to become tender while absorbing all the spicy, tomato-rich broth.
6. Add the Soaked Rice
Drain the pre-soaked basmati rice and add it to the pot. Ensure the water level remains higher than the rice—this is essential for fluffy, fully cooked rice. Add salt to taste, 2 more tablespoons of vegetable oil, and the halved green bell pepper.
7. Pressure Cook Round Two
Close the lid again and cook on medium heat for another 10 minutes. This final step allows the rice to absorb all the seasoned broth and become infused with flavor.
8. Serve and Enjoy
Serve hot, topped with a spicy green chili pepper and a side of chilled yogurt. The contrast between the heat of the dish and the coolness of the yogurt is pure perfection.
Kabsat Elham is a celebration of bold Saudi flavors reimagined in a pressure cooker for today’s busy kitchens. Its perfect balance of spices, tender chicken, and fluffy rice makes it a dish that’s both traditional and trend-setting. Whether you’re exploring Gulf cuisine or reinventing your weekly dinner lineup, this is one recipe that delivers on flavor, heart, and home.
This article was previously published on saudimoments. To see the original article, click here