Top Kuwaiti Dishes You Ought to Try!

Kuwaiti cuisine is heavily influenced by the many people who have settled thru the Arabian Gulf and settled in the region. Here are a few of the most delicious Kuwaiti dishes you ought to try!

Machboos laham

Considered the national dish of Kuwait, machboos laham combines basmati rice and meat with a mixture of fried onions, raisins, and yellow split peas. The dish is typically made with pieces of lamb, chicken, or fish which are flavored with various spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, turmeric, cloves, pepper, and ginger.

Traditionally, the spiced rice is cooked in the aromatic and flavorful broth in which the meat has been cooked, which infuses the dish with even more flavor. The succulent pieces of meat are combined with the fried onions, raisins, and yellow split peas, and they are then served atop a bed of fluffy rice, usually drizzled with saffron-infused water as a final touch. 

Mutabbaq samak

This traditional Kuwaiti dish consists of fried fish that is served on a bed of rice. The most common fish used in the dish is pomfret (zubaidi), which is seasoned, occasionally boiled, and then coated in flour and finally fried until crispy.

The rice is cooked separately, and it is often enriched with turmeric, onions, garlic, sumac, and parsley. The fish is always served on top of the rice, and the whole dish is usually garnished with fresh herbs, as well as raisins and nuts. Apart from Kuwait, similar dishes are also found in other Arab states of the Arabian Gulf.

Gers ogaily (Cake)

Gers ogaily is a Kuwaiti sponge cake that is typically baked in large bundt pans. It is prepared with a simple egg batter that is flavored with saffron, cardamom, and rose water. The cake is occasionally baked in smaller baking molds, creating a cupcake-like dessert, but both versions are usually coated in roasted sesame seeds.

Optionally, the cake can be doused in a vibrant-yellow saffron sauce. It is recommended to serve gers ogaily with tea on the side.

Mumawwash

This classic dish from Kuwait combines rice and mung bean legumes. Mung beans are sautéed alongside onions and a variety of dried spices such as cinnamon, turmeric, coriander, saffron, and dried lemon before they are combined with rice. The dish is slowly simmered in a flavorful broth until it reaches the right consistency.

Traditionally, mumawwash is served on large plates and is occasionally accompanied by sautéed shrimps that are neatly arranged on top of the dish.