Thanks to tik tok videos, I recently discovered Kabsa, the National Dish and pride of Saudi Arabia. The dish dates back centuries to preparations made by the Bedouin tribes of the Arabian Peninsula. Hearty meals once made to sustain these nomadic tribes using just a handful of spices, over the years, evolved into the complex and aromatic dish known today. The fragrant blend of spices (around 12 different aromatic elements) isn’t just about flavor—it’s about heritage, carrying echoes of trade routes, family traditions, and communal feasts. Kabsa is usually served with daqoos.

Daqoos (also spelled Dakkous or Daqqus) is a traditional Gulf Arab tomato-garlic sauce, usually served alongside rice dishes like Kabsa and Mandi. It’s a sharp, tangy, and slightly spicy condiment that balances the richness of slow-cooked meat and fragrant rice.

Ingredients

• 2 cups basmati rice
• 3 tbsps ghee (divided)
• 1 large yellow onion finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic minced (optional if using powdered form in spice blend)
• 1 tsp ginger grated (optional if using powdered form in spice blend)
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 chicken broth cube dissolved in about 2 cups hot water.
• 3 medium tomatoes finely chopped
• 2 medium carrots grated
• 500g bone-in, skin-on chicken legs (~4)
• 500g bone-in, skin-on chicken drumsticks (~6)
• salt to taste
• Zest of 1 orange
• 2 whole black (loomi) limes (pierced)
• 1/2 cup slivered almonds
• 1/2 cup raisins

Whole spices

• 2 sticks cinnamon
• 2 bayleaves
• 3 star anise
• 6 cardomoms
• 4 cloves

kabsa spice mix

• 1 tsp chili powder (paprika or Kashmiri chili for milder versions)
• 1 tsp black pepper powder
• 1 tsp cardamom powder
• 1tsp cinnamon powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder (omit if using fresh during sauteing aromatics)
• 1 tsp ginger powder (omit if using fresh during sauteing aromatics)
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg powder
• 1/2 clove powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder

Daqoos Ingredients

• 3 Tomatoes chopped (skin and seeds removed)
• 1 onion
• 1-3 green chilis
• 2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• juice of 1 lime
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 2 tsp tomato paste (optional)

Method

• Wash the rice and soak in warm water for about 45 mins. Drain and set side.
• Prepare the kabsa spice mix in a small bowl and set aside.
• Heat 2 tbsp of the ghee and sauté the onions and fresh ginger, garlic (if using) until golden and slightly caramelized. Add the whole spices, fry for about a minute. Then add the tomato paste and the kabsa spice mix and sauté till fragrant.

• Add the chopped tomato and grated carrot and cook till a jammy consistency. Now add the pieces of chicken and mix well till the chicken is well coated.
• Add the broth, salt, orange zest, black limes. Mix and ensure the chicken is completely submerged in the broth. Add more water if needed.

• Pre heat oven at the grill setting.
• Bring to a boil and simmer the chicken on medium heat for about 30 mins.
• Remove the chicken from the broth, place in a foil lined pan, brush/baste each piece with the broth/sauce in the pot. Sprinkle a little salt and place under the grill and brown the chicken about 5-6 minutes on each side. Watch the chicken closely to ensure its not burning.

• In the meanwhile, add the drained rice into the broth, stir well, turn the heat up and bring to a boil. Lower the flame to a low heat, cover and simmer for about 20 mins till all the broth has been absorbed by the rice.
• Toast the almonds and raisins separately in the remaining ghee and set aside. The almonds should have a light brown colour and the raisins with balloon up.
• Spoon the rice into a serving dish. Decorate the rice with the almonds and raisins and then place the grilled chicken on top. You could add parsley or coriander leaves to give your decoration more colour. Serve your kabsa with your prepared daqoos.

Daqoos: Blend all ingredients. Adjust salt to taste.