Omani madrouba is a wonderfully unique dish. Madrouba literally translated means beaten rice. It is actually mashed after being cooked for a very long period of time.
This recipe is made with chicken and all sorts of wonderful spices that are common in Middle Eastern cuisine. Your kitchen will smell amazing as this dish simmers on the stove.
Make sure to finish the dish with the cardamon flavored ghee and fried onions, it truly makes the dish.
One ingredient that is special is this dish is the dried limes. They add a unique earthy, citrus flavor. In Oman they are called loomi. I have included a link if you would like to try them. Please note that I do earn a small commission however it does not affect the price you pay.
Click here to purchase them on Amazon
You need to first crack open the dried lime, you can do this with a nut cracker or the blunt end of a knife and you want to use the gummy black flesh and remove the papery thin membrane and any seeds.
This what the inside should look like.
Serve with some Omani kbutz (bread)for a delightful meal.
Omani Madrouba (Beaten Rice)
Ingredients
- 2 cups long-grain white rice
- 4 dried limes
- 3 medium red onions minced
- ¼ cup ghee plus ¼ cup for garnish
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 4 plum tomatoes cored and minced
- 1 ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom plus ½ teaspoon for garnish
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne
- Pinch of nutmeg
- 1 ¼ pounds boneless skinless chicken, such as breasts or thighs, cut into 3-inch pieces
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 small red onions halved and thinly sliced
Instructions
- Place the rice in a bowl and fill with water.
- Rinse the rice by stirring it around in the water and drain
- Repeat a few more times, until the water becomes clear.
- Cover the rice with clean water and soak at least 30 minutes.
- Drain when ready to use.
- Remove the flesh of the dried limes by cracking the lime inn half with a nut cracker or blunt instrument. Then pull out the thin, papery membrane, and discard the seeds and dried outer rind.
- This should yield about 4 teaspoons of black flesh.
- Sauté the minced onions in ¼ cup ghee in a large Dutch oven on medium-high heat until brown, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Add the garlic and tomatoes, cook a few minutes, then add the dried lime, turmeric, cumin, coriander, ginger, cinnamon, black pepper, ⅛ teaspoon cardamom, cloves, cayenne, nutmeg, and chicken.
- Stir to mix well.
- Add 8 cups water and the salt, increase the heat to high, and boil until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes.
- Add the rice to the pot and bring back to a boil.
- Decrease the heat to low and cook, covered, 1 ½ to 2 hours, until the rice is mushy and begins to break down. Be sure to stir frequently to prevent sticking, adding additional water if necessary.
- Meanwhile, make the fried onions.
- Heat the oil in a medium skillet or saucepan over medium to medium-high heat and fry the thinly sliced onions, until deep golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes.
- Remove the onions using a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel to drain any excess oil.
- When the rice is cooked through and mushy and the chicken has broken down into shreds, whip and mash the mixture with a wooden spoon until it becomes smooth and like porridge.
- Melt the remaining ¼ cup ghee in a small skillet over medium-low heat.
- Stir in the remaining ½ teaspoon cardamom, and let infuse until fragrant, about 2 minutes, then remove from the heat.
- Garnish with the cardamom, ghee, and fried onions.
- Serve with bread
