We’re all aware of the legacy that is behind a classic machbous dish in Kuwait, be it chicken or meat. We saw it on endless Khaleeji shows, it’s been talked about around the region for ages, and whoever visits town, the hunt for the perfect machbous begins. But the question remains, would you go for an authentic homemade machbous, or a visit to one of the restaurants that can actually nail the dish down? Lucky for you, dear readers, we got to try several versions, and we’re here with some insights, so start taking notes.
For locals, especially when you’re living in a Kuwaiti house, machbous for lunch will always remain the unmissable, holy grail of the weekly meal. Meanwhile, for those visiting to simply get a taste of the famous dish, where would they find it? And would it compete with an authentic homemade version? Other than the idea of hijacking zwara day (that’s the family visit day) or someone’s house just around the block to get an original taste of it.
Locals do tend to shut down the idea of having this dish for lunch at a restaurant, only because their households always do it better. But, keep in mind, locals grew up with their parents or grandparents cooking, and the first taste anyone had of machbous from childhood was from their beloved’s hands, with flavors deeply touching what your heart craves. This is where nostalgia truly kicks in, and kicks out the taste of machbous from Kuwaiti restaurants.
Here’s a clip from the 80’s classical Kuwaiti comedy sitcom, “Ala Eldenya Alsalam” when Mabrouka and Mahdhodha were craving Chicken Machbous. This scene demonstrates just how much Kuwaiti’s love their weekly dose of machbous!
Yet, the scene of Kuwaiti cuisine grows from the people who grew up knowing the dish’s legacy, essentially a mixture of flavors that originated from all around the GCC area, but slightly more hyped-up in Kuwait. So, have restaurants finally achieved the status of being able to say “Our machbous is better than yours?”
Let’s start with the first restaurant in Kuwait that swept away the locals, and made them accept the idea of having this classic dish in a place other than their homes, Freej Suwaileh. When they introduced the restaurant as the go-to place for Kuwaiti dishes, the star item had to be Chicken Machbous, because everyone would naturally be seeking it.
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Add in some mabouch, an essential machbous side-ingredient, and you’re set. Mabouch is basically a various mixture of peppers, be it green, red chili peppers, enhanced with a blend of herbs and olive oil that eventually deliver all that extra spiciness with any machbous. As well as Achar, the pickled vegetables or fruits that are usually preserved in salt or vinegar, these also add another type of flavor. Finally, add a tangy side salad, mix and match and have a handful of that savory yumminess!
When homemade businesses also emerged within the market scene, machbous was a must on their selective dishes, and it opened up doors towards introducing a different taste of machbous than the one everyone usually has at home. You’ll taste flavors unlike the ones you’re used to enjoying from your mom’s house, or even other households, or a mabouch that is on another level of spiciness, maybe even mixed with different kinds of ingredients. These are the small details that are almost always missed in restaurants and can only be experienced with homemade machbous, distinguishing the dish for what it means to every local’s heart and tummy.
Even with the availability of Kuwaiti cuisine on Carriage, as well as Talabat, including restaurants such as Mama Suad, Tabkh Al-Freej, Kashounat Al-Bait, Malas Bo Khamas, Dar Hamad, and so much more. All of them are named with a twist of traditional, old, Kuwaiti words, a strategy skillfully used to make Kuwaiti restaurants more relatable, and provide a feeling that would make their visitors feel closer to their own home cooking with every taken bite.
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Sure, it’s easy to get into an entire debate under the headline “Our Machbous is better than yours”, but what was bazaar’s verdict on homemade machbous? Shockingly, the mabouch stole the spotlight next to the homemade chicken machbous, and even our vegetarian team member had to try it out with rice because of the team’s reaction to the spicy mabouch. One of us experienced machbous for the first time, and the rest couldn’t stop themselves from a fourth serving! We also discovered that two bazaar members are used to having machbous on a weekly basis.
Kuwait is no stranger to introducing a killer chicken or meat machbous, but it really all falls under taking that leap of faith towards trying out a different kind of the classic from restaurants, or going back to the nostalgic childhood taste of your own household’s version. No one’s machbous is better than the other, it’s all about the taste and the feeling you would like to receive when you take a handful bite, filled with the tenderest chicken and most flavorful rice.
For more information on delicious destinations to try out machbous, follow @bazaargram on Instagram.
Feature Image courtesy of @tabkhalfreej and @kashounatalbait
