Fish Majboos (Kuwaiti Cuisine)

Everyday morning big question mark??? WHAT TO COOK TODAY????? Either to please your husband, daughter/son, Motherinlaw, Fatherinlaw (My f-i-l- no worries, he will never complain even if there is more salt/less salt or no salt. The thing that matters is the food to fill his stomach) I'm sure this is the biggest problem for all the housewives or whoever is cooking daily.

Well got up this morning removed a packet of Sole fish (leppo), another packet of 2 silver pompfrets thinking will make Leppo Curry, rice & Pompfret fry. Sabu hates fish so it was a BIG NO. Adrian was not very happy with the menu, gave me a suggestion why don't you make Fish Majboos (Kuwaiti Cuisine) & some Dakkous (tomato sauce-Kuwaiti style). It was a great suggestion, Sabu loves Majboos & so does Adrian. So that is it the menu for today's meal was fixed. Here goes the recipe for Fish Majboos & Dakkous - Kuwaiti Ishtyle.


Ingredients :
2 medium size silver pompfrets

Removes the scales. Trim the sides. Put 6 to 7 gashes on the fish. Pull all the dirt out without damaging & keep the fish whole. Remove the gills. Wash it with ample cold water. Strain the water & keep it aside.

Take a bowl, add 3/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1 tsp red chilly powder, 1/2 tsp black pepper powder, 2 tbsp vinegar. Mix it well. Now add the silver pompfrets in the marinade. Leave it aside till you finish making the rice. Once the rice is ready & garnished. Shallow fry the fish till crisp.

4 cups of Basmati Rice
1 big onion thinly sliced
4-5 green cardamom pods
1" cinnamon stick
4 Knorr veg. stock cubes
6 cups of boiling water
2 big lemons (squeeze the juice)
4 tbsp oil

Wash & clean the rice well. soak it in lukewarm water for 1 hour.
Take a Pot put it on high flame. Add oil, once hot add the cardamom, cinnamon stick.
Add the sliced onion and fry till it slighlty browns. Add the boiling water, veg. stock cubes, lemon juice. After one boil add the rice stir it once. Close the lid tightly and leave it on very very slow flames for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes open the lid & lightly loosen the rice with a fork. Keep it aside.


For the Rice topping :
1 big onion thinly sliced
1 tbsp sumac
1/2 tsp cardamom powder
1/4 tsp pepper powder
1/4 tsp cummin powder
2 tbsp oil

Put a frying pan on high flame. Once hot add oil, now add sliced onion and fry till it lightly browns, now add the remaining spices. stir & put off the flame.

To Assemble the Majboos :
Take a big bowl or plate. Spoon the rice in the bowl.
Garnish it with the rice topping. Now place the fried fish on top & serve it piping hot with dakkous.

To make Dakkous :
4 med tomatoes
5-6 big cloves of garlic minced
1 med onion minced
1 green chilli , cut it into 4-5 pieces
4 tbsp tomatoe paste
1/2 cup of water

Blanch the tomatoes in boiling water for 5-6 minutes untill the skin starts peeling.
Peel off the skin & once cooled puree it.
Take a pot, put it on high flame. Add 1 tbsp oil. Upon heating the oil add minced garlic & after a minute or two add the minced onion. Now add the green chilly, tomato paste, tomato puree. Add 1/2 cup of water, salt to taste. Leave it on slow flame for 10 minutes. Dakkous is ready to be served.




Enjoy the yummy Zubaidi Majboos with dakkous.