Name: Ruz Bukhari (Bukhari Rice)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 20 min
Cuisine: Saudi (Hejazi, Bukhara origin)
Ingredients: 1 whole chicken, cut into pieces; 2 onions, chopped; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 3 tomatoes, grated; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 60 ml (¼ cup) oil; 1 tbsp Bukhari spice mix (cumin, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, black lime, black pepper); 1.2 litres water; Salt to taste; 500 g (2½ cups) basmati rice, soaked 30 min; 2 large carrots, coarsely grated or julienned; 3 tbsp raisins; About 1 litre reserved broth

Ruz Bukhari rice with chicken, carrots and raisins — Photo: Bint awwal · CC0 · Wikimedia Commons

Ruz Bukhari travelled to Makkah with Central Asian pilgrims and settlers from Bukhara, and became a treasured part of Hejazi cuisine. Basmati is cooked with chicken, a warm spice blend, sweet grated carrots and raisins, giving a gently sweet-savoury pilaf with a signature amber colour. It is a staple of Makkah's homes and restaurants alike.

Servings: 5
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 20 minutes
Difficulty: Intermediate
Rice: Aged long-grain basmati

Method

Tick a step to mark it done.

Step 1: Brown the onions in oil, add the garlic and chicken and sear.
Step 2: Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, Bukhari spices and salt; cook until the oil separates.
Step 3: Add the water, cover and simmer until the chicken is tender, about 30 minutes. Reserve the chicken; strain and measure about 1 litre of broth.
Step 4: In the same pot, briefly sauté the grated carrots until softened, then add the raisins.
Step 5: Add the drained rice and the measured broth; check salt.
Step 6: Boil, then cover and cook on low until absorbed, 15–18 minutes. Rest 5 minutes.
Step 7: Broil the chicken for colour if you like, then serve it over the fluffed rice.

To serve

Serve with daqoos and a fresh salad.

Ruz Bukhari (Bukhari Rice)

Ingredients

Method

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