Saudi Arabia (Asia) 8 November 2020

Saudi Arabia is located in the continent of Asia. Is has Iraq to the north, Kuwait and Iran to the northeast, the Arabian Sea to the east, the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) to the east, Oman to the southeast, Yemen to the south, the Red Sea to the west, and Jordan to the northwest.

The capital is Riyadh.

The official language is Arabic.

The climate has three climatic zones: desert, steppe on the west, and humid and mild in the south. The staples are wheat, fava beans, dates, rice, yogurt, chicken, sheep, goat, camel (https://theworldbook.org/saudi-arabian-food/#:~:text=In%20many%20parts%20of%20Saudi,foods%20for%20the%20Saudi%20people.&text=Sheep%2C%20goat%2C%20camel%20are%20also,Arabian%20dinner%20and%20other%20meals).

https://www.britannica.com/place/Saudi-Arabia

AL KABSA (https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/216889/al-kabsa-traditional-saudi-rice-and-chicken/):

• ½ tsp saffron
• ¼ tsp ground cardamon
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground allspice
• ¼ tsp ground white pepper
• ½ tsp dried whole lime powder
• ¼ C butter
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 lb whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces
• ¼ C tomato puree
• 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 3 carrots, peeled and grated
• 2 whole cloves
• 1 pinch ground nutmeg
• 1 pinch ground cumin
• 1 pinch ground coriander
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 3-1/4 C hot water
• 1 cube chicken bouillon
• 2-1/4 C unrinsed basmati rice
• ¼ cup raisins
• ¼ C toasted slivered almonds

1. Mix together the saffron cardamom, cinnamon, allspice, white pepper, and lime powder in a small bowl, and set the spice mix aside.
2. Melt the butter in a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.  Stir in the garlic and onion; cook and stir until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add the chicken pieces and brown them over medium-high heat until lightly browned, about 10 minutes.  Mix in the tomato puree.
3. Stir in the canned tomatoes with their juice, the grated carrots, whole cloves, nutmeg, cumin, coriander, salt, black pepper, and the Kabsa spice mix prepared previously.  Cook for about 3 minutes; pour in the water, and add the chicken bouillon cube.
4. Bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat to simmer and cover the pot.  Simmer until chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear, about 30 minutes.
5. Gently stir in the rice.  Cover the pot and simmer until rice is tender and almost dry, about 25 minutes; add the raisins and a little more hot water, if necessary.  Cover and cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes or until the rice grains are separate.
6. Transfer the rice to a large serving platter and arrange the chicken pieces on top.  Sprinkle the toasted slivered almonds over the dish.

ARABIC SALAD (https://www.food.com/recipe/arabic-salad-90140):

• 4 small English seedless cucumbers
• 4 medium tomatoes
• ½ C parsley, finely chopped
• 1 small onion, finely diced (optional)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 medium juice of a lime
• 1 TBSP olive oil (optional)

1. Dice cucumber and tomatoes.
2. Place in a bowl.
3. Add parsley and onion.
4. Just before serving, add the salt, lime juice, and olive oil and combine all the ingredients.
5. Serve in small bowls to accompany rice dishes.

KETO MAHALABIA (https://ketorecipetv.com/keto-dessert-keto-mahalabiaarabic-dessert/):

• 3 TBSP blanched almond flour
• 1 C Almond milk
• ½ C cream
• 3 TBSP Erythritol
• 2 tsp rose water
• ½ tsp cardamom powder
• 2 TBSP pistachios, finely sliced
• 2 tsp rose petals, diced and finely cut

1. Mix the almond flour with about ¼ C of the almond milk and combine together.
2. Pour the rest of the almond milk into a medium size nonstick saucepan.
3. Once the flour and a small amount of the almond milk is mixed, then add it to the milk in the saucepan.
4. Mix it well with the saucepan on medium high.
5. Add the cream, and erythritol and whisk well.
6. Add the rose water, and continue to whisk well.
7. Add the cardamom powder and continue to whisk as the mixture begins to thicken as it boils.  Stir consistently to ensure it does not burn or stick to the pan.
8. Once the mixture is a good consistency, pour it into small serving bowls, and put in the fridge until cool.
9. Once cool, put the pistachios around the outside of the bowl, with a little in the center.
10. Add some rose petals also to the top of the bowls.
11. Put back in the fridge for at least 2- 3 hours.