Last week we were concentrating on the food of a tropical island in the Caribbean. This week, we’re heading to another island, but a little less tropical.
You may not have heard of Bahrain, but it is a tiny oil rich country bordering Saudi Arabia in the Persian Gulf. And its National Dish, which we present to you today, is incredibly delicious and rather easy to make.
THE CUISINE
Bahrain is a modern, wealthy country with impressive skyscrapers and infrastructure in the capital city of Manama. The country is majority Muslim but does have freedom of religion along with a large population of non-nationals from places like India, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka.
So the food is pretty diverse. There are lots of grilled meat and fish (remember this is an island nation) prepared similarly to other neighboring countries. Many of the same traditional dishes will be found in Iran and other Arabic nations. Lots of spices and dried fruits. But you’ll also find quite a bit of Indian influence in rice dishes like biryani.
In ancient times, Bahrain was an important seaport and trading site, so that’s a big reason why you’ll find many global influences.
I’ve heard you can find just about any cuisine you want in Bahrain, but there is always room for tradition and some of those dishes and ingredients stay true to the cuisine today.
BAHRANI FOOD IN NEW YORK
Again, I’ve sadly not been able to locate a restaurant in New York that specifically serves Bahraini food. It doesn’t seem that there is a large Bahraini community in the city.
Sure, there are plenty of Persian restaurants and so you’ll find similar dishes using similar ingredients. But Bahrain is another of those few countries not fully represented in this great big city.
THE VIDEO
Early on in the video, I correct Sam’s pronunciation of the country. But then I go on to mispronounce the National Dish. Not sure why I kept wanting to add an “sh” sound. I really don’t have a lisp, I promise.
Sam and I had a lot of fun putting this dish together. There are the usual shenanigans – (this week involving a sieve) – and sweet endearing moments (like learning why tomatoes don’t all look the same). And after a lot of frustration over the color of the chicken, Sam found a dish he gives eleven stars!!
THE DISH
Chicken Machboos (or Majboos) is the National Dish of Bahrain, but it is also found in many other Arabic countries around the Persian Gulf, including Qatar, Yemen, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait where it is known by the name “kabsa.” In Kuwait it is usually topped with almonds, raisins, carrots, and split yellow peas.
It’s essentially a basmati rice dish that is cooked in chicken broth and vegetables and served with a spiced chicken that has been cooked in the same pot. My understanding is that in Bahrain it is almost always a whole chicken, while other meats are often used in other nations.
I tried to find a recipe that is distinct to Bahrain and have done the best I could. The most important thing here seems to be two ingredients. A Baharat spice mixture which we made ourselves and loomi.
The secret ingredients are a special spice blend called Baharat, which is usually made up of cinnamon, cumin, coriander, paprika, black peppercorns, cardamom, nutmeg, and cloves. And the addition of the magical mystical dried black limes, known as loomi. They add a fragrant sour note that is distinct and unbeatable.
SPECIAL INGREDIENTS
Loomi (Dried Black Limes)
Loomi are magical mystical dried black limes. You can probably find them at Middle Eastern or Arabic grocery stores. I actually ended up with a double portion because my wife found a bag on the same day I did and lack of communication I guess. Just means I need to make more dishes from this region.
The small limes are boiled and dried. They are as hard as a rock (watch Sam try to break them in the video). But it’s important to find a way to poke a hole in them so that all their intoxicating aromas and flavor are released into the dish.
You can make Machboos without loomi but it will not be the same by a long shot.
Baharat Spice Mix
You’d think Baharat is a reference to the country of Bahrain. But total coincidence. Baharat means “spice” in Arabic and is a popular blend throughout the region.
You could easily buy a pre-made mix at a specialty spice shop, but it’s also not so difficult to make it yourself. Variations abound, of course, but I had some of the most popular ingredients on hand so I decided to put it together. Plus Sam got to use a grinder, which is always a treat!
THE RECIPE
Chicken Machboos from Bahrain
A very popular recipe throughout the Middle East, this is considered the National Dish of the tiny island nation of Bahrain. A simple spiced chicken and rice is enhanced by the addition of Baharat spices and dried limes (loomi).
Baharat Spice Mix
- 1 tbspn cumin seeds
- 2 tspn coriander seeds
- 1 tspn cloves (whole)
- 1/2 tspn cardamom pods`
- 1.5 tspn paprika
- 1 tspn cinnamon
- 1/4 tspn nutmeg
- 1 tbspn black peppercorns
Chicken
- 4 chicken quarters (leg and thigh)
- 1 tbspn ghee (or butter)
- 2 onions (chopped)
- 2 tbspn ginger (minced)
- 2 green chilies (chopped)
- 5 garlic cloves (sliced)
- 1 tbspn Baharat blend (see recipe)
- 1 tspn turmeric
- 1 tomato (chopped)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 dried limes (loomi) (with holes poked in)
- 5 cardamom pods
- 3 cloves
- 2 tbspn parsley (chopped)
- 2 tbspn cilantro (chopped)
Rice
- 2 cups chicken stock
- 1.5 cups basmati rice
- 1 tbspn butter
- juice from half lemon
Baharat Spice Mix (or purchase a pre-mixed blend)
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Toast the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, peppercorns, cloves, and cardamom pods in a small skillet over medium. Toast a few minutes until very fragrant. Be careful not to burn them. Cool.
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Add to spice grinder and bllitz until powdery. Blend well with cinnamon, paprika, and nutmeg.
Chicken
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Melt ghee in a large pot over medium high heat. Add onions and stir until translucent. Add ginger, green chilies, garlic, Baharat mix, and turmeric. Stir well to combine.
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Add chicken to pot and mix to ensure all the spices get on the chicken. Cook for about 3 minutes.
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Add tomatoes, cinnamon stick, loomi, cloves, cardamom pods, salt, parsley, and cilantro. Mix well. Cook for about 2 minutes.
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Add chicken stock and bring to boil. Lower to simmer, cover, and cook until chicken is cooked. 45-60 minutes.
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Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.
Rice
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Add rice to pot, give it a good stir, and cook on low covered for about 15 minutes. Until the rice has absorbed most of the liquid. Add more if necessary.
Finishing the Chicken
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Preheat oven to 300° F.
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Put chicken on baking sheet and brush with some melted butter.
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Sprinkle some cinnamon over the chicken.
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Roast until the top becomes browned. About 10 minutes.
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Just before serving, add 1 tbspn of butter and lemon juice into the rice and stir.
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Serve the chicken ontop of the rice.
HOW I SCREWED IT UP
Perhaps I overcooked the rice a tiny bit or should have thrown in one more dried lime, but aside from that, I think this came out really well.
It wasn’t an overly complicated recipe but it was very flavorful and for once we didn’t have any leftovers.
SAM’S REACTION
Sam, like many people, get out of control when they get too hungry. And I think that’s what happened here.
He refuses to eat the chicken because he didn’t like the yellowish color. He had asked me to make him a separate chicken early on in the process, but I thought once he tried it, he would love it.
When he finally realized he wasn’t getting a different chicken, he tried it and really liked it. Just as I predicted. I still couldn’t get him to taste the rice, but he was a big fan of the chicken. Eleven stars!!
NEXT TIME
Believe it or not, I know quite a bit of Bengali. Not sure I’d completely get by in Bangladesh but next time, we’ll get a little lesson in their food. So I’m one step closer…
