Kuwaiti Spiced Shrimp and Basmati Rice

Makes
4-6 servings
Cook Time
1 hour 10 minutes
Active time plus cooling
40 minutes active
Rating
3

The Kuwaiti dish called murabyan is a shrimp and rice pilaf fragrant with spices, herbs and alliums. Our simplified version gets richness from a good measure of butter and a savory-sweet flavor foundation from onions that are sautéed until golden. To keep the shrimp plump and tender, we briefly sauté them, then set them aside until the rice is done. We then scatter the shrimp over the rice and allow them to gently finish cooking with the rice’s residual heat. Dried limes called loomi are used to impart a sour, concentrated citrusy flavor to murabyan, but since loomi are difficult to source in the U.S., we finish the dish with fresh lime juice and zest.

Tip

Don’t stir the rice with a spoon after removing the pot from the heat. The long, delicate grains of basmati break easily. Instead, lightly and gently fluff the rice with a fork before adding the shrimp.

Ingredients

1
teaspoon ground cumin
½
teaspoon ground ginger
½
teaspoon ground coriander
½
teaspoon ground cardamom
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1
pound extra-large (21/25 per pound) shrimp, peeled (tails removed), deveined and patted dry
4
tablespoons (½ stick) salted butter, cut into 1-tablespoon pieces, divided
2
medium yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
4
medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced
½
teaspoon saffron threads
1½
cups basmati rice
2
teaspoons grated lime zest, plus 2 tablespoons lime juice, plus lime wedges to serve
3
tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

Step 1

In a medium bowl, stir together the cumin, ginger, coriander, cardamom and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Measure 1 tablespoon of the mixture into a small bowl; set aside. Add the shrimp to the remaining mixture in the medium bowl and toss to coat.

Step 2

In a Dutch oven over medium, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook without stirring until lightly golden, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Step 3

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the pot and heat over medium. When the butter begins to sizzle, stir in the onions and ½ teaspoon salt. Cover and cook until slightly softened, about 2 minutes.

Uncover and continue to cook, stirring often, until golden, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, the reserved spice mixture and 1 teaspoon salt, then cook, stirring, just until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add the saffron and 2¼ cups water, then bring to a boil over medium-high. Stir in the rice, cover, reduce to low and cook for 20 minutes.

Step 4

Remove the pot from the heat. Using a fork, gently fluff the rice. Scatter the shrimp over the rice and pour in any accumulated juices. Re-cover and let stand for 10 minutes.

Step 5