Machbous Rubyan — Print Recipe

Plump Gulf shrimp cooked atop fragrant bezar-spiced rice with dried limes and fresh herbs, capturing Qatar's deep connection to the sea in a single, aromatic dish.

Ingredients

500g large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 cups basmati rice, soaked
1 onion, diced
2 tomatoes, diced
2 tbsp bezar spice
2 dried limes, pierced
1 tsp turmeric
2 tbsp vegetable oil
3 cups fish or shrimp stock
1 tsp salt
Fresh dill and coriander for garnish

Instructions

1 Sauté onion in oil until golden, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, bezar, turmeric, and dried limes; cook 3 minutes.
2 Add shrimp and toss for 2 minutes until pink. Remove shrimp and set aside.
3 Add drained rice and stock to the pot. Bring to a boil, then cover tightly and cook on low for 18 minutes.
4 Place shrimp on top of the rice, cover again, and steam for 5 minutes until shrimp are cooked through and rice is fluffy.
5 Transfer to a platter, arrange shrimp on top, and garnish with fresh dill and coriander.

Did You Know?

Machbous rubyan honors Qatar's pearl-diving heritage — divers ate simple shrimp and rice meals on their boats during months-long diving seasons.