Cozy Saudi Arabian Recipes for Winter 2024

Taste The Season With Our Wholesome Autumn Recipes

It's time to cozy up with these comforting Saudi Arabian recipes

1. Kabsa

Ingredients:

- 2 cups long-grain basmati rice

- 1 kg chicken or lamb, cut into pieces

- 2 onions, finely chopped

- 4 cloves garlic, minced

- 2 tomatoes, chopped

- 2 carrots, chopped

- 2 tablespoons Kabsa spice mix (a blend of cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and more)

- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

- 4 cups chicken or beef broth

- Salt and pepper to taste

Steps:

1. Heat the oil in a large pot and sauté the onions and garlic until they turn golden.

2. Add the meat and cook until it's browned on all sides.

3. Stir in the Kabsa spice mix and cook for a couple of minutes.

4. Add the rice and vegetables and cook for another few minutes.

5. Pour in the broth, bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for about 20-30 minutes or until the rice is cooked and the meat is tender.

6. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

2. Harees

Ingredients:

- 1 cup whole wheat

- 1 cup chicken or lamb, cut into pieces

- 1 onion, chopped

- 2 cloves garlic, minced

- Salt

- 1 tsp ground cinnamon

- 1 tsp ground cardamom

Steps:

1. Wash the wheat and soak it in water for a few hours or overnight.

2. In a large pot, combine the soaked wheat, meat, onion, and garlic.

3. Add enough water to cover everything and bring to a boil.

4. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for several hours (4-6 hours) until the wheat and meat have broken down into a porridge-like consistency.

5. Season with cinnamon, cardamom, and salt. Serve hot.

3. Jareesh

Ingredients:

- Chicken breast, diced.

- 2 cups of cracked wheat (burghul).

- Ground black pepper.

- 2 tablespoons of butter.

- Cumin.

- Salt.

- 3 cups of yogurt.

- Some water.

- Chopped onion.

- 1 tablespoon of lemon juice.

- Hot pepper (optional).

Steps:

- Heat a pot on the stove and add the butter, allowing it to melt. Add the chopped onion and stir continuously.

- Add the chicken and cracked wheat, stirring for about 5 minutes, then pour in some water.

- Leave the ingredients on the stove for approximately an hour until they are cooked.

- Add the yogurt, cumin, salt, black pepper, lemon juice, and hot pepper (if desired), and mix all the ingredients together.

- Cover the pot and leave it again for about a quarter of an hour until the consistency of the ingredients thickens.

- Serve the Saudi cracked wheat dish in a serving dish, and enjoy your meal!

Exploring the Versatile Molokhia Recipes and Health Benefits

4. Saleeg

Ingredients:

- 2 cups of  rice

- 1 large onion (cut into quarters)

- 8 pods of crushed cardamom

- 6 pieces of Mastic (gum arabic)

- 4 small teaspoons of salt

- 2 bay leaves

- 2 sticks of Ceylon cinnamon

- 1/2 small teaspoon of mixed spices

- 3 cups of full-fat milk

- 2 tablespoons of butter (or ghee)

- 1 small teaspoon of vinegar

- 3 cups of chicken broth

Steps:

1. Wash the rice with clean water 3-4 times, soak it in warm water, add a small teaspoon of vinegar, and leave it to soak for about 30 minutes.

2. Place 3 cups of chicken broth in a medium-sized pot. Add cardamom, mastic, salt, bay leaves, cinnamon, and mixed spices. Heat it over high heat until it boils. 

3. Add the rice, let the broth boil again, then reduce the heat and leave it until the rice dries and absorbs all the broth. You will notice the appearance of holes or gaps on the surface of the rice.

4. Add the milk to the rice. Let it cook over low heat, stirring several times until the rice becomes soft (the rice grains melt with the milk) and absorbs all the milk.

5. Heat the butter, then place it on the surface of the rice. Stir until it is evenly distributed with the rice.

5. Samboosa Lahm (Meat-filled Pastries)

 Samboosa is a popular snack in Saudi Arabia, especially during the cooler months. 

Ingredients for Meat Filling:

- 250g ground meat (beef or lamb)

- 1 small onion, finely chopped

- 2 cloves of garlic, minced

- 1 teaspoon ground cumin

- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

- Salt and pepper to taste

- Vegetable oil for frying

Ingredients for Dough:

Note: You can use pre-made samosa dough or make your own with a mixture of all-purpose flour, water, and a pinch of salt.

Steps:

1. Heat some vegetable oil in a pan and sauté the chopped onions and minced garlic until they turn translucent.

2. Add the ground meat and cook until it's browned. Stir in the spices, salt, and pepper.

3. Allow the meat filling to cool.

4. Cut the samosa dough into triangles or rectangles. Place a spoonful of the meat filling in the center of each piece of dough. Fold the dough over to form a triangle or rectangle, sealing the edges with water.

5. Heat vegetable oil in a deep pan and deep-fry the samboosas until they are golden brown.

6. Drain on paper towels and serve hot.

6. Al Ula Freeke Soup (Traditional Saudi dish)

Ingredients:

- 1 cup of Freekeh

- 1 onion (chopped)

- 50 grams of Ghee

- 200 grams of Lamb meat

- 1/4 teaspoon of Ginger

- A pinch of Cinnamon

-  Black Pepper&Salt

- A pinch of Cumin

- 3 tomatoes (chopped)

- 2 cloves of Garlic (minced)

Steps:

1. In a pot over the heat, melt the ghee and add the lamb meat. Brown the meat along with the onion.

2. Add the chopped tomatoes and garlic, season with salt and spices.

3. Add the freekeh and pour in hot water.

4. Let the soup cook for approximately an hour and a half until it is fully cooked and serve hot.

5. Ladle the hot Freekeh soup into bowls and enjoy your hearty, traditional Saudi dish.

7.  Saudi Aseeda

One of the most famous and delicious traditional Saudi dishes and recipes is Aseeda, a sweet dish served with ghee and honey. 

Ingredients:

- 1/4 cup ghee

- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

- 1 cup sugar

- 3 cups of water

- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

- 1 cup wheat flour

- 1 teaspoon ground ginger

- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Must-Try Weird Sandwich Toppings That Are Actually Delicious!

Steps:

- Sift the wheat flour and place it in a deep bowl.

- Place the sugar in a saucepan over low heat and stir constantly until it changes color and begins to turn light brown.

- Add half a cup of water and stir well, then add the remaining water and stir well until the sugar dissolves, then allow it to come to a boil.

- After the mixture boils, add the ground cinnamon, ground cardamom, ground ginger, and black pepper.

- Gradually add the sifted wheat flour to the water and sugar mixture while stirring continuously.

- After it cools, beat it well with a hand whisk until the wheat dissolves completely and becomes homogeneous, then remove it from the heat while stirring continuously.

- Add a tablespoon of ghee and stir the mixture well, continuing to stir until it thickens and begins to hold together.

- Then remove the mixture from the heat and pour it into a wide dish, shaping it in a dish-like form and making a cavity in the center.

- Then add the remaining ghee on top of the aseeda while it is still hot until it melts on the surface, and it is ready to serve.

Tips:

- It's essential to sift the wheat flour to prevent lumps while making the recipe.

- You can adjust the amount of wheat flour depending on the type of flour and your needs. You can also control the amount of liquid added by gradually adding it while stirring until you achieve the desired consistency.

- You can enjoy aseeda with honey, date syrup, yogurt, or carob syrup as a flavor complement.

8. Al-Hanini Recipe

 Ingredients:

- 2 cups of milk.

- 2 cups of boiling water.

- 1 cup of pitted dates.

- 100g of butter.

- 1 lemon.

- 18 tablespoons of ground dry dates.

For the sauce:

- 1 lemon.

- Half a finger of butter.

Steps:

1. Prepare a blender and add milk, then pour in the boiling water and add the dates.

2. Mix the ingredients together well.

3.  Place the ingredients in a pot on the heat and leave them until it boils.

4. Add the butter and lemon juice while stirring continuously.

5. Add the ground dry dates with quick stirring.

6. Leave it on low heat for at least a quarter of an hour.

7. Prepare the sauce by melting the butter and adding lemon to it.

8. Place the Al-Hanini in a serving dish and pour the sauce over it.