One thing I’ve learned in my long career as an ESL teacher is that the universal food is chicken and rice. Everyone loves it, whether they’re from China, Mexico, Burma, or The Phillipines. Whenever I ask a Saudi or Kuwaiti student about their favorite dish, their response is inevitably kabsa, a complex and spicy version of good old chicken and rice. Kabsa was the centerpiece of a memorable dinner party I attended on the floor of a student apartment last year, but I hadn’t tried making my own until today. Naturally I wanted to do it in the Instant Pot which made things quick and easy once the spice blend was assembled. I put this together after reading a number of different recipes, adjusting for things like my dislike of cloves and fennel’s ability to overpower a dish. It was a hit exactly as I made it, so I’m writing it down for posterity.
I created this soup to have something I could drink from a thermos while driving between campuses at rush hour. My schedule is so tight that I do not have time to sit down and deal with utensils, but I still need a warm nutritious something to keep me going for another three hours of teaching. This soup fits the bill perfectly. Obviously you decide how salty and/or spicy you want the final result to be. But be sure to include the ginger, turmeric, and cinnamon as all are wonderful warming, anti-inflammatory spices.