Kabsa is one of my favorite dishes. This Middle Eastern rice dish is considered the national dish of Saudi cuisine and it has variations throughout the Arab countries. My version is a beautiful and bountiful plate of rice cooked in onions, carrots, tomatoes, and garlic, coated in all kinds sweet and earthy spices like cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and ginger speckled with juicy red cranberries and sweet raisins. The delicious flavors of kabsa rice cooked in these aromatic spices, root vegetables, and topped with crispy roasted chicken is the classic that I often make during this time of year. It is an easy dish to make in huge quantities, and everyone loves it. This plant based version replaces the chicken completely with a gorgeous roasted squash. The flavor and colorful presentation of the crispy roasted squash stuffed with kabsa rice is so stunning, nobody will notice the chicken is missing! Besides, to accommodate all, I still serve the kabsa marinated chicken on the side. I’ll be posting the classic chicken kabsa later this week as I am serving it for Thanksgiving. Stay tuned!

A word on ingredients

The spices I use in the recipe may possibly be found in any Middle Eastern markets as a single spice combination called “kabsa spices” although the combination and quality may vary. I like to combine my own individual high quality spices to control the flavors, and here I have nice balance of sweet and spicy with the cinnamon and ginger. Try combining the spices as I suggest in the recipe below and be sure to use the freshest you can get. Some people prefer to toss in whole cinnamon sticks, cloves, and cardamom pods, which is completely fine as well! Just be sure to remove them before serving so nobody has an unpleasant surprise as they eat. In my mom’s house, my brother was always the lucky one to crunch a cardamom pod in his mouth 😀

My initial vision to create this dish was with an acorn squash. Its gorgeous deep green hue splashed with some yellows and orange is a nice complement to the dish, and the squash is also tastier and creamier in texture than a pumpkin. When I had to make a large rice dish for a school potluck last week, I wanted to have my kabseh stuffed squash make its debut, and I only had orange sugar pumpkins. So an exploding pumpkin full of kabseh rice it was. It was gorgeous, tasty, and the students and parents loved it! I don’t think many children would have recognized an acorn squash anyway. Both pumpkin and acorn squash have beautiful ridges that you can slice down when serving. Use what you think you would enjoy! Be sure to choose a pretty shaped gourd with a flat bottom and a long stem if possible; for some reason none of the pumpkins in my grocery store had long stems. Meh.

I was inspired to cut the pumpkin with a star-shaped cap when I saw this gorgeous Armenian Ghapama on Dining in Diaspora. She clearly is more skilled at cutting lovely designs than I am- so be sure to take a look. I love the sweeter version of her classic recipe used by Armenian tradition here and it shows that you can really make this rice in your own way to suit your preferences.

Kabsa Rice Stuffed in Squash

A pumpkin stuffed with rice cooked in onions, carrots, tomatoes, and garlic, coated in all kinds sweet and earthy spices like cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and ginger speckled with juicy red cranberries and sweet raisins.

5 from 2 votes

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Course Main Course

Cuisine egyptian, Middle Eastern

Servings 6 people

Ingredients

  

• 1 squash such as sugar pumpkin or acorn squash
• 4 tbsp safflower or olive oil
• 1 c carrots, chopped (about 2-3 large carrots)
• 1 c chopped onion (about 1/2 an onion)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp shallot, minced
• 1/2 c tomato, diced (about 1 tomato)
• 3 c long grain or basmati rice
• 1 tsp all spice
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp white pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground cardamom
• 1 1/2 tsp salt (plus more to taste)
• 1 c dried cranberries
• 1/2 c golden raisins
• 1/2 c pumpkin seeds or almonds(optional)

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees (F).
• Wash the rice in cold water and then let it soak for 20-30 minutes. This speeds up the cook time and reduces any excess starch that causes clumpy rice.
• Wash the squash well, and cut off the top where the stem is. Carefully hollow out the inside by removing the seeds and stringy pieces. Save the seeds to toast later. Rub the outside and top of the squash with 1 tbsp of oil and set it on a pan.
• In a heavy bottom pot, heat 2 tbsp of oil and sauté the onions and shallots until they begin to yellow. Add the carrots, followed by the garlic and tomatoes until softened.
• Drain the rice and add to the vegetables in the pot. Toss in the spices until it is well coated.
• Add 3 cups of water and bring to a boil. Once the water is boiling, turn the heat down to low and cover. Check the rice in 5 minutes. The water should be absorbed from the top. Add the cranberries and raisins and stir gently. Scoop out enough rice from the pot to stuff the squash and cover with the top of the squash. Place into oven for 30-40 minutes, until the squash can be easily pierced with a fork. If there is still water visible in the pot of rice, cover the pot and allow to cook for 5 minutes more. Remove the rice from the pot and plate it onto serving platter, leaving a space in the center for the squash.
• While the squash cooks in the oven, toast the pumpkin seeds or nuts in a small pan over medium high heat until they turn golden-brown. Set aside for garnish later.
• Once the squash is cooked through, remove from the oven and transfer onto the center of the rice platter. Sprinkle toasted nuts or pumpkin seeds all over the ricer.
• When ready to serve, slice the pumpkin or acorn squash following the vertical ridges to create a beautiful petal design. Plate a slice of squash and a serving of rice for each person.

Keyword cinnamon, kabsa, pumpkin, rice, squash

This is one rich and chocolatey shake, and I am happy to say my kids absolutely love it! This is an all powerful, nutrient dense, plant based protein shake that is nothing but delicious. It tastes like dessert and has zero chalky protein powders added. I make this with pure raw foods that anybody can find in their local grocery store.

The rich, dark chocolate flavor of this smoothie is due to none other than pure, cacao powder. I found a nice organic powder from Whole Foods, which is of great quality. Pure cacao powder is great for many reasons, namely being a rich antioxidant source, as well as iron, magnesium, fiber, and even protein. Who knew chocolate could be so beneficial! Lately, I have been limiting my intake of dessert and refined sugar, so this makes for a great substitute to fulfill my chocolate cravings. 

You can use your favorite milk, but I stick with the plant based source of almond milk. Throw in a couple of frozen bananas for the rich creamy texture, as well as the digestive and heart health benefits.

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The bananas along with three juicy Medjool dates make the bitter flavors of the cacao come out in the rich chocolatey flavor I am going for. If you want less sweet, use only one banana. Sometimes I make this with one banana only and add strawberries, to cut down on the calories.

Goji berries are a super food that I have been tossing into smoothies, cereal, and snack mixes alike. The kids love these too, and so will parents due to their super health benefits. Goji berries have long been used in Chinese medicine, and have the benefits of being high in antioxidants, high in fiber, vitamin A, and an excellent protein source. Some studies even show they can help destroy cancer cells.

Berry Chocolatey Peanut Butter Shake

2018-01-02 08:47:10

A rich chocolatey shake made with clean, raw, energy boosting ingredients!

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Ingredients

1. 1.5 cup almond milk
2. 1-2 frozen bananas
3. 3 dates (Medjool or similar texture)
4. 1/2 c goji berries
5. 1/4 c cacao powder
6. 1/2 c fresh ground peanut butter

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients to a blender, layering with liquid and soft ingredients first and frozen bananas on the very top.
2. Blend for 1-2 minutes and enjoy!

Notes

1. Replace one banana with frozen strawberries for a lighter smoothie, with less sugar content. The banana makes this very creamy and rich!

By Noha ElSharkawy

Sugar & Garlic https://sugarandgarlic.com/

This orange fennel salad is different than our typical Middle Eastern flavors, but you won’t have to look far to find some Mediterranean influence . I combine the citrus flavors of oranges and lemons with crunchy carrots and fennel, and toss it all with fresh mint and honey for a really surprisingly delicious winter salad. Since we have started to shift to an 85% vegan lifestyle (the other 15% is gooey yummy dessert I just can’t depart from), I have explored a wide variety of fresh and raw fruit and vegetable combinations. This salad has been consistently a hit and relished by all I have fed it to. Throughout the cold winter months, there is a colorful variety of delicious citrus, and I use any combination in this salad. My kids really enjoy this because of the artful appearance, and also because they love the sweet and juicy flavors. The crunchy sweet fennel complements the citrus, and makes a nice contrast of flavor on top of a bed of field greens. 

Start with a fresh bowl of field greens or arugula. 

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The citrus honey vinaigrette is the perfect dressing for this salad, and it happens to be my family’s favorite one yet! The citrusy tang is balanced with some sweet orang clover honey and a fresh burst of mint! I hope you enjoy this fresh and delicious salad as much as we do.

Orange Fennel Salad

2017-03-02 07:46:42

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Ingredients

1. 2 oranges, any type you prefer
2. 1/2 c sliced fennel
3. 1/2 c chopped mint leaves
4. 1/2 diced shallot
5. 8 oz spring mix field greens
6. 1 carrot

For the citrus honey vinaigrette

1. 1 tbsp minced mint leaves
2. 1/4 c fresh lemon juice
3. 1/4 c fresh orange juice
4. 1 tbsp orange zest
5. 1-2 tsp salt (to taste)
6. 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
7. 1/4 c olive oil
8. 2 tbsp orange clover honey
9. 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

Instructions

1. Wash the oranges and zest the peel. Set the zest aside to be used for the dressing later.
2. Peel one orange with a sharp knife, including the white pith, so that the juicy flesh of the orange is exposed. Make two cuts into each section of the orange, just shy of the segment dividers. Set these segments aside to place on top of the salad.
3. Use the other orange for fresh squeezed juice. Cut the orange in half, juice only half of it, and then slice the other half into circles to place on top of the salad for decor.
4. Wash and rinse the greens. Place the drained greens into a large bowl.
5. Toss in the chopped mint leaves, shallots, and sliced fennel.
6. Wash and peel the carrot. With a vegetable peeler, slice thin ribbons of carrot and arrange artfully on top of the salad. You may do the same with the fennel, to slice thin pieces.
7. Arrange the orange segments and slices on top of the salad.
8. In a small bowl or cup, combine all the ingredients for the citrus dressing, and whisk. Pour on the dressing as you serve and enjoy!

Notes

1. Extra dressing may be stored in the refrigerator and used on many other salads! Try tossing in cooked farro or quinoa with this salad as well.

By Noha ElSharkawy

Sugar & Garlic https://sugarandgarlic.com/