Qatar's signature rice dish with tender lamb slow-cooked with baharat, dried limes, and saffron rice, garnished with nuts.
Nutrition & Info
Allergen Warnings
Equipment Needed
Presentation Guide
Vessel: large communal platter
Garnishes: fried onions, raisins, toasted almonds
Accompaniments: daqoos (tomato sauce), fresh salad
Instructions
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1
Season the chicken with salt, baharat, and turmeric. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken pieces on all sides for eight minutes until deeply golden. Remove and set aside.
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2
Add the remaining oil and fry the sliced onions for ten minutes until dark golden brown. Add the diced tomatoes and tomato paste, cooking for five minutes until the tomatoes break down. Add the cardamom, cinnamon, and pierced dried limes.
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3
Return the chicken to the pot, add the broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer covered for twenty-five minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken and keep warm. Taste the broth and adjust seasoning.
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4
Add the drained soaked rice to the flavoured broth, stir once, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to the lowest setting, cover tightly, and cook for twenty minutes until the rice absorbs all the liquid and is perfectly tender.
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5
Place the chicken pieces on top of the rice, cover again, and let everything steam together for ten minutes on the lowest heat. This final steaming melds the flavours and infuses the rice with the aromatic chicken juices.
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6
Transfer to a large platter with rice mounded in the centre and chicken pieces arranged on top. Garnish with crispy fried onions, plumped raisins, and toasted almonds or pine nuts. Serve as the centerpiece of a Qatari family meal.
Did You Know?
During Ramadan, majboos is the most common iftar main course in Qatari households.
Chef's Notes
Equipment Tips
- large heavy pot
- rice cooker or pot
Garnishing
fried onions, raisins, toasted almonds
Accompaniments
daqoos (tomato sauce), fresh salad
The Story Behind Majboos
The Story: Majboos (also spelled machbous or machboos) is Qatar's national dish: a fragrant, heavily spiced rice preparation in which lamb, chicken, or fish is first seared and simmered with onions, tomatoes, dried limes (loomi), and a complex baharat spice blend, then the rice is added to cook in the enriched broth, absorbing the deep, complex flavors. The finished dish is a golden mound of spiced rice crowned with the tender meat, often garnished with fried onions, nuts, and raisins. Majboos is Qatar's interpretation of the Gulf rice tradition, closely related to Saudi kabsa and Bahraini machboos but distinguished by Qatar's specific spice proportions.
On the Calendar: Majboos is the dish of Friday family lunch, the most important weekly gathering. It is also served at Eid celebrations, weddings, national holidays, and whenever honored guests are received. Preparing majboos for guests is an expression of respect and generosity.
Then & Now: While the core recipe has remained consistent, modern Qatari households benefit from pre-mixed baharat blends and other conveniences. Chicken majboos is the most common everyday version, while lamb majboos is reserved for important occasions. Fish majboos, using local hamour (grouper) or safi (rabbitfish), reflects the coastal heritage.
Legacy: Majboos is Qatar's answer to the universal human question of how to honor guests and family: with the finest rice, the best spices, the tenderest meat, and a generosity of portion that leaves no doubt about the warmth of the welcome.
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