Qatari shrimp "risotto" (Mashbuss rubyan)

Mashbuss, also spelt as machboos, makbous, or majboos, is a family of rice dishes that are common throughout the Middle East. They are from a Middle Eastern technique of cooking called 'kabasa', which means 'to press together', referring to how these dishes are cooked. The rice and meat are traditionally cooked together so that the flavours meld together into the dish.

This dish also portrays the trade routes through he region. The spices are most definitely from India, as well as some of the cooking technique that borrows from Turkish pilafs and Indian pulaos. The dried lime is a traditional ingredient that flavours the dish beautifully.

The flavour is all in the rice. The tomato-based sauce is loaded with mild spices, and the lime adds a nuanced tartness. This is a dish that is not too common outside the region, and here is a beautiful recipe.

This cookbook is so much more than a collection of recipes. It is a history of a culture and its contributions to the world's cuisines. The author has travelled extensively to research this cookbook, which is evident in the introduction and each recipe. Filled with historical notes and tidbits of information, I can sit and read this cookbook as if it were a novel.

For more recipes from the fabulous cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

For the rice:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 onions, finely diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 curry leaves

4 cloves

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

2 teaspoons b'zar spice mix

1 dried Omani lime, broken in half

2 tomatoes, finely diced

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon parsley, minced + to garnish

1 tablespoon cilantro, minced + to garnish

2 cups basmati rice, or any short-grain rice, rinsed

Water, as needed

Salt, to taste

For the shrimp: 2 tablespoons butter or ghee

6 jumbo shrimp

Salt, to taste

1/2 teaspoon pepper

B'zar Spice mix:

1 tablespoon black peppercorns

1 tablespoon cumin seeds

1 tablespoon coriander seeds

4 cloves

1/2- inch of cinnamon stick

6 green cardamom pods

4 dried red chillies

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon dried ginger powder

Start by making the B'zar spice mix. In a dry frying pan, dry roast the whole spices individually until each is aromatic and lightly coloured. Cool completely.

Add all the spices to a spice blender and blitz to a fine powder. Store in an airtight container.

Heat the oil in a pot on low heat. Add the onions and garlic and fry until the onions are a light golden colour. Add the curry leaves, cloves, turmeric, b'zar spice mix, and Omani lime, and toss well for 1 minute, taking care not to burn the spices.

Add the tomatoes and tomato paste, and cook for 5 minutes, until the tomatoes have broken down and formed a thick sauce. If the sauce is dehydrated and begins to burn, add a few tablespoons of water to moisten the paste.

Add the herbs and rice, then cook for 4 minutes, or until the rice begins to turn white. Add the salt and water, up to the first knuckle of your index finger, and simmer with the lid sealed for 20 minutes, or until the rice is cooked. Occasionally, toss the rice to ensure he bottom does not burn.

Fluff the rice and set aside.

Right before serving, cook the prawns. Heat the butter/ghee in a wide frying pan. Add the prawns, salt, and pepper, and sauté on medium heat for 3 minutes, until the prawns are cooked through.

Heat the rice. Ladle a spoonful onto a bowl and top with 1-2 shrimp. Garnish with cilantro and parsley. Serve immediately.