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Kuwaiti Murabyan

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Kuwaiti murabyan shrimp rice with saffron, tomato, and herbs.
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Murabyan is a classic Kuwaiti shrimp-and-rice dish, fragrant with tomato, dried lime, saffron, and the warm spices of Gulf cooking.

The shrimp are briefly seasoned and cooked separately so they stay juicy, then folded into rice that has absorbed the aromatic broth.

Add the shrimp only for the final few minutes to avoid overcooking them.

Serving Suggestions

Serve with a crisp cucumber-tomato salad, lemon wedges, and a spoonful of yogurt-free herb sauce.

Kuwaiti murabyan being spooned from a shallow cooking pot.

Recipe Notes

If using frozen shrimp, thaw and pat them dry first. Remove the dried lime before serving and refrigerate leftovers for up to two days.

Kuwaiti murabyan shrimp rice with saffron, tomato, and herbs.

Kuwaiti Murabyan

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Fragrant Kuwaiti shrimp rice with tomato, saffron, and dried lime.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Kuwaiti
Calories: 590
Ingredients Equipment Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
 
 

Shrimp
  • 1 lb large peeled shrimp deveined
  • 0.5 tsp ground turmeric
  • 0.5 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 tbsp neutral oil
Rice
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil
  • 1 large yellow onion thinly sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 large tomatoes grated or finely chopped
  • 2 cups basmati rice rinsed
  • 3 cups seafood stock hot
  • 1 whole dried black lime pierced twice
  • 0.25 tsp saffron threads soaked in 1 tbsp hot water
  • 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp ground cardamom
  • 0.25 tsp ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

Equipment

  • Heavy-bottomed pot
  • Large skillet
  • Fine-mesh strainer
  • Fork

Method
 

Season the shrimp:
  1. Toss the shrimp with turmeric and salt. Heat the oil in a skillet and cook the shrimp for 1 to 2 minutes per side, just until opaque. Transfer to a plate.
Cook the rice:
  1. Heat the remaining oil in a heavy-bottomed pot. Cook the onion for 6 minutes until golden, then add the garlic for 1 minute.
  2. Stir in the tomatoes, rice, cinnamon, cardamom, and black pepper. Cook for 2 minutes.
  3. Add the hot stock, dried lime, and saffron water. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 18 minutes.
  4. Turn off the heat and let the rice rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
Finish:
  1. Fold the shrimp and cilantro through the hot rice. Rest for 2 minutes, remove the dried lime, and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 590kcalCarbohydrates: 76gProtein: 31gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 170mgSodium: 980mgFiber: 4gSugar: 6g

Notes

  • A dried lime adds a pleasantly tart depth; pierce it so the flavor can move into the rice.
  • Metric amounts are provided for every measured ingredient.

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