Muhammar — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

A unique Qatari rice dish sweetened with date syrup and butter, seasoned with cardamom and rose water, and served alongside grilled fish. The surprising sweetness perfectly complements the savory seafood.

Ingredients

2 cups basmati rice, soaked
1/3 cup date syrup (dibs)
3 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
1 tbsp rose water
Pinch of saffron in 1 tbsp warm water
3 cups water
1/2 tsp salt

Instructions

1 Cook soaked rice in salted boiling water until 80% done, about 8 minutes. Drain well.
2 Melt butter in a heavy pot. Add date syrup, cardamom, rose water, and saffron water. Stir until bubbling.
3 Add the par-cooked rice to the pot and fold gently to coat every grain with the date mixture.
4 Cover tightly, reduce heat to lowest setting, and steam for 15 minutes until rice is fully cooked and each grain glistens.
5 Fluff gently and serve as a bed for grilled hammour or any grilled fish.

Did You Know?

Muhammar was traditionally the pearl divers' farewell dish — their families prepared it as the last meal before months-long diving expeditions.