Muhammar

Name: Muhammar
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Ingredients: 400 g basmati rice, rinsed and soaked 30 minutes; 2 l water; 1 tsp salt; 100 g brown sugar; 3 tbsp ghee; 1 tsp cardamom, ground; 1 pinch saffron, steeped in the rose water; 2 tbsp rose water; 4 tbsp water

Vegetarian

محمر · muhammar

Basmati rice cooked with brown sugar or date syrup until caramel-coloured, then steamed with ghee, cardamom, saffron and rose water. In Bahrain it is classically served alongside fried or grilled fish.

Muhammar is a Bahraini rice dish, ready in about 1 hour 15 minutes and made with basmati rice and brown sugar. It serves 6 and is rated easy to cook.

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Prep: 10 min
Cook: 35 min
Rest: 30 min
Total: 1 h 15 min
Serves: 6
Level: Easy
Calories: 367

Ingredients

6 servings

400 g Basmati rice (opens in a new tab), rinsed and soaked 30 minutes
2 l Water (opens in a new tab)For par-boiling; most is drained away.
1 tsp (6 g) Salt (opens in a new tab)
100 g Brown sugar (opens in a new tab)Date syrup (dibs) is traditional; use the same weight.
3 tbsp (40 g) Ghee (opens in a new tab)Swap: ButterContains milk
1 tsp (2 g) Cardamom (opens in a new tab), ground
1 pinch (0 g) Saffron (opens in a new tab), steeped in the rose water
2 tbsp (30 g) Rose water (opens in a new tab)

For the syrup

4 tbsp (59 g) Water (opens in a new tab)

Equipment

Method

1
Step 1
Soak the rice for 30 minutes. Bring the water and salt to the boil, add the drained rice and boil until just tender at the edges but still firm at the centre. Drain.
- 8 min
- high heat
- Saucepan (opens in a new tab)
- Sieve / strainer (opens in a new tab)
2
Step 2
In the same pan, melt the brown sugar (opens in a new tab) with 4 tbsp water and half the ghee (opens in a new tab) until it bubbles into a dark syrup.
- 4 min
- medium heat
3
Step 3
Return the rice, stir gently to coat, then drizzle over the remaining ghee (opens in a new tab), the cardamom (opens in a new tab) and the saffron (opens in a new tab) rose water (opens in a new tab).
- 2 min
4
Step 4
Cover tightly with a lid wrapped in a tea towel and steam on the lowest heat until fluffy and glossy.
- 20 min
- low heat

About this dish

Origin: Bahrain · Commonly attributedClosely associated with Bahrain; also made in Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE.Also popular in Kuwait, Qatar, United Arab EmiratesMore food from Bahrain
Dish: Lunch · Dinner · Rice dishes · Side dishes
Cooking method: Boiled, Steamed
Taste: sweet, aromatic / warmly spiced, buttery
Diet: Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · No gluten ingredients · No nut ingredients
All labels
Vegetarian (lacto-ovo) · Eggetarian · Lacto-vegetarian · Pescatarian · Flexitarian-friendly · No gluten ingredients · Egg-free · No nut ingredients · Alcohol-free · Pork-free · Beef-free · Low-fat · Low-sodium
Worked out from the ingredients. How labels work
Cook more with: Basmati rice · Brown sugar · Ghee · Cardamom · Saffron · Rose water
Techniques: Boiling · Steaming

Allergens

Contains: Milkfrom ghee

Based on typical versions of these ingredients and not verified allergen-free. Brands differ and cross-contact happens, so always check labels. For severe allergies, follow your clinician’s advice.

Nutrition

367 kcal per serving

Estimated

1 serving ≈ 440 g · recipe makes 6

Where the energy comes from

Protein 5%
Carbohydrate 77%
Fat 18%

Nutrition per serving and per 100 g
Nutrient	Per serving	Per 100 g*
Energy	367 kcal	83 kcal
Protein	4.8 g	1.1 g
Carbohydrate	69.9 g	15.9 g
Net carbohydrate	68.9 g	15.7 g
Sugars	16.3 g	3.7 g
Added sugars	16.2 g	3.7 g
Fibre	1 g	0.2 g
Fat	7.2 g	1.6 g
Saturated fat	4.3 g	1 g
Trans fat	—	—
Cholesterol	17 mg	4 mg
Sodium	404 mg	92 mg
Salt equivalent	1 g	0.2 g

Vitamins & minerals per serving

Potassium: 103 mg
Calcium: 69 mg
Iron: 3 mg
Magnesium: 26 mg
Vitamin A (RAE): 57 µg
Vitamin C: 0 mg
Vitamin D: 0 µg
Vitamin B12: 0 µg
Folate (DFE): 258 µg

How these numbers were made

Calculated from USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy) per-100 g values and the listed quantities.
*Per 100 g of combined raw ingredients; the cooked dish may weigh more or less.
Basmati rice: Generic long-grain white rice (FDC 168877); basmati has very similar composition.
Rose water: Water (FDC 174158); rose water is a distillate with negligible nutrients.
“—” means the value isn’t known for enough of the ingredients; it is never zero by default.
Values are estimates for guidance, not for medical dosing. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. fdc.nal.usda.gov.

Good to know

Tips

Let a thin layer catch on the bottom — the crisp, caramelised crust is prized.

Serve with

Serve with fried kingfish or safi fish and a hot tomato sauce.

Storage

Refrigerate within 1 hour; keeps 2 days.

Reheating

Steam or microwave with a sprinkle of water until piping hot.

Original editorial recipe · FriendsPantry editorial · Not yet independently reviewed · Added 27 Oct 2026 · Updated 8 Nov 2026

Recipe DNA

How this dish is built

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Built from the recipe’s own sections. Each band’s width is its share of the dish by weight. Choose a component to see what it does.

What the dish is built around

Main ingredient

Basmati rice, rinsed and soaked 30 minutes400 g
Ghee3 tbsp · 40 g

Used in steps 1, 2

Reviews & corrections

Reviews come from signed-in cooks and appear after a moderator checks them. We never show made-up ratings.

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