{{short description|Rice and lamb dish}} {{Infobox food | name = Qidreh | caption = A chicken variation of qidreh | image = Qedra (1).jpg | region = Palestine | course = Main course | name_italics = true | associated_cuisine = Palestinian cuisine | served = Hot | alternate_name = Kidra, qidra | main_ingredient = Rice, lamb or chicken | variations = Beef or chicken in place of lamb; the addition of chickpeas, garlic cloves, and onions }}
'''Qidreh''' ({{langx|ar|قدرة}}) is a rice and lamb dish in Palestinian cuisine, commonly served at social gatherings like weddings and feasts. The dish is most common in the cities of Hebron, Gaza, and Jerusalem, and is usually topped with toasted nuts. Chickpeas and whole garlic cloves may also be incorporated into the rice.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Qidreh (Palestinian Bone-In Lamb With Spiced Rice) Recipe |url=https://www.seriouseats.com/qidreh-recipe-6749874 |access-date=2025-03-26 |website=Serious Eats |author1-first=Reem |author1-last=Kassis |author1-link=Reem Kassis |language=en}}</ref> The dish is traditionally prepared in clay ovens on coals, but regular ovens may also be used; the lamb may also be swapped out for chicken.<ref name="haddad">{{Cite book |last=El-Haddad |first=Laila |title=The Gaza Kitchen |isbn=9781682570968 |edition=2nd |language=en |pp=243–248}}</ref><ref name="aj">{{cite news |title="القدرة" تنافس "المنسف" على موائد الخليل |url=https://www.aljazeera.net/misc/2015/7/11/%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D8%AA%D9%86%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%B3-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%86%D8%B3%D9%81-%D8%B9%D9%84%D9%89-%D9%85%D9%88%D8%A7%D8%A6%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AE%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%84 |access-date=3 June 2025 |work=Al Jazeera |language=ar |trans-title="Qidra" rivals "Mansaf" on Hebron's tables}}</ref>
==Origin== The origins of the dish are not agreed upon, but most sources state that it originates from the city of Hebron, although different sources attribute it to different Palestinian families. The time period is also uncertain and sometimes traced back to the time of the Ottoman Empire.<ref name="haddad"/><ref name="arabnews" /><ref name="alaraby">{{cite news |title="القِدرة"... طبق الخليل الذي لا تقاوم لذته |url=https://www.alaraby.co.uk/%22%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D9%90%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%A9%22-%D8%B7%D8%A8%D9%82-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AE%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%84-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%B0%D9%8A-%D9%84%D8%A7-%D8%AA%D9%82%D8%A7%D9%88%D9%85-%D9%84%D8%B0%D8%AA%D9%87 |access-date=3 June 2025 |work=The New Arab |date=14 Jun 2019 |language=ar |trans-title="Al-Qidrah"... a Hebron dish whose deliciousness is irresistible}}</ref><ref name="kitchn" />
==Name==
{{Wiktionary|قدرة}}
''Qidra'' ({{langx|ar|قِدرَة|qidrah}}) means "pot" or sometimes specifically "clay vessel"; the dish is named after the pot it is cooked in.<ref name="mondoweiss2021">{{cite news |title=A Palestinian kitchen full of memories |url=https://mondoweiss.net/2021/09/a-palestinian-kitchen-full-of-memories/ |access-date=2 June 2025 |work=Mondoweiss |date=16 September 2021}}</ref><ref name="haddad"/><ref name="falastin" />
The name is sometimes pronounced or spelled as ''idreh'' in Latin transliteration.<ref name="Colournary">{{cite web |title=Palestine on a Plate: A Q&A With Rania Talala from Ardi Concept Store |url=https://www.colournary.com/stories/palestine-on-a-plate-ardi-concept-store |website=Colournary Magazine |access-date=29 June 2025 |interviewer-first1=Rushani |interviewer-last1=Epa}} </ref><ref name="kalla2018"> {{cite book |last1=Kalla |first1=Joudie |author1-link=Joudie Kalla |title=Baladi: Palestine a celebration of food from land and sea |date=18 October 2018 |publisher=Jacqui Small |isbn=978-1-911127-86-4 |page=139 |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Baladi/PTByDwAAQBAJ?gbpv=1&pg=PA139 |access-date=26 March 2026 |language=en}} </ref> Levantine Arabic speakers may sometimes pronounce ''q'' (qaf) as a glottal stop.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Project |first1=Living Arabic |title=The Living Arabic Project - Classical Arabic and dialects |url=https://www.livingarabic.com/brief-introduction-to-the-sounds-of-levantine-arabic |website=livingarabic.com |access-date=29 June 2025 |language=en}}</ref>
==Preparation and ingredients== The meat and rice are cooked together in the same pot, and local a clarified butter called samneh is added. Ingredients vary between cities. The meat is traditionally lamb.<ref name="falastin" /><ref name="haddad" />
The dish is typically served with thick yogurt and Arab salad.<ref name="kitchn"/><ref name="haddad"/>
==Variations==
In Gaza, the dish is traditionally cooked in unglazed clay pots. The pots are prepared at home and then taken to a wood or coal fired communal oven, where the owner of the oven does the cooking, and each clay pot is marked with a name. A Dutch oven on a stove is used in contemporary versions.<ref name="falastin">{{cite book |last1=Tamimi |first1=Sami |last2=Wigley |first2=Tara |author1-link=Sami Tamimi |title=Falastin: A Cookbook |date=16 June 2020 |publisher=Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed |isbn=978-0-399-58174-8 |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Falastin/PACmDwAAQBAJ |access-date=3 June 2025 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Gaza's Qidreh Master at Work: Preserving Culture through Food (PHOTOS) |url=https://www.palestinechronicle.com/gazas-qidreh-master-at-work-preserving-culture-through-food-photos/ |website=Palestine Chronicle |access-date=3 June 2025 |language=en |date=6 July 2023}}</ref><ref name="mondoweiss2021" /><ref name="raya" />
Traditional qidreh originating from Hebron is plain, with few spices, contemporary and regional variations such as that of Gaza add chickpeas, onions, whole garlic cloves, and different spices.<ref name="haddad" /><ref name="araby2023">{{cite news |title=الأكلات التراثية تتسيّد المائدة الفلسطينية في رمضان |url=https://www.alaraby.co.uk/entertainment_media/%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%A3%D9%83%D9%84%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%A7%D9%84%D8%AA%D8%B1%D8%A7%D8%AB%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D8%AA%D8%AA%D8%B3%D9%8A%D9%91%D8%AF-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D8%A7%D8%A6%D8%AF%D8%A9-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%81%D9%84%D8%B3%D8%B7%D9%8A%D9%86%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%B1%D9%85%D8%B6%D8%A7%D9%86 |access-date=8 December 2025 |work=The New Arab |date=19 Apr 2023 |language=ar |trans-title=Traditional dishes dominate the Palestinian table during Ramadan.}}</ref><ref name="raya" /><ref>{{cite news |title=أقدم أفران الخليل يكشف سر"المدغمة": لا يوجد شيء يسمى بهارات القدرة |url=https://www.alwatanvoice.com/arabic/news/2017/11/04/1095594.html |access-date=8 December 2025 |work=دنيا الوطن |date=4 November 2017 |language=ar |trans-title=Hebron's oldest ovens reveal the secret of "Al-Madghama": There is no such thing as Qidra spices}}</ref> Qidreh in Hebron is traditionally cooked in a copper pot.<ref name="texasuni2021" /><ref name="raya" />
Using freekeh along with or in place of the rice is common in some regional versions.<ref name="raya">{{cite news |title=«القدرة» .. أكلة خليلية لا تُطبخ في المنازل |url=https://www.raya.com/2015/06/26/%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%82%D8%AF%D8%B1%D8%A9-%D8%A3%D9%83%D9%84%D8%A9-%D8%AE%D9%84%D9%8A%D9%84%D9%8A%D8%A9-%D9%84%D8%A7-%D8%AA%D9%8F%D8%B7%D8%A8%D8%AE-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D8%A7%D9%84%D9%85%D9%86 |access-date=28 October 2025 |work=Raya news |date=26 June 2015 |language=ar |trans-title="Qidra" is a Hebron dish that is not cooked at home.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=القدرة التلحمية محتفظة بنكهتها الفلسطينية في بيت لحم |url=https://nn.najah.edu/news/Report-1/2019/03/29/215313/ |access-date=28 October 2025 |work=An-Najah National University |date=29 Mar 2019 |language=ar |trans-title="Bethlehemi Qidra" maintains its Palestinian flavor in Bethlehem}}</ref>
==Culture==
Qidra is a festive dish, as such, it is usually made in large quantities. It is often served during ceremonies like weddings and birth ceremonies (''aqiqah''), especially on Fridays and during the month of Ramadan, as well as during Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.<ref name="haddad"/><ref name="arabnews">{{cite news |title=Demand for qidra increases during Ramadan in Palestine |url=https://www.arabnews.com/node/2072156/middle-east |access-date=2 June 2025 |work=Arab News |date=28 April 2022 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Scott |first1=Jamie |title=20 Palestinian Foods for a Rich Culinary Journey |url=https://www.lacademie.com/palestinian-food-guide/ |website=L’Academie de Cuisine |access-date=2 June 2025 |date=12 March 2022}}</ref><ref name="kitchn">{{cite web |last1=Assil |first1=Reem |last2=Mohammad |first2=Abutaha |title=Lamb Qidreh Is the Arab Rice Dish That Will Steal the Show |url=https://www.thekitchn.com/lamb-qidreh-23313032 |website=Kitchn |access-date=2 June 2025 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="aj" /> It is usually never made at home, and is reserved for special occasions.<ref name="raya" /><ref name="texasuni2021">{{cite book |last1=Gaul |first1=Anny |last2=Pitts |first2=Graham Auman |last3=Valosik |first3=Vicki |title=Making Levantine Cuisine: Modern Foodways of the Eastern Mediterranean |date=8 December 2021 |publisher=University of Texas Press |isbn=978-1-4773-2459-2 |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Making_Levantine_Cuisine/HMssEAAAQBAJ |access-date=8 December 2025 |language=en}}</ref>
Palestinian Christians commonly consume the dish on Christmas.<ref name="jpost"> {{cite news |title=Culinary Christmas traditions in the Holy Land |url=https://www.jpost.com/travel/around-israel/culinary-christmas-traditions-in-the-holy-land |access-date=2 June 2025 |work=The Jerusalem Post |date=24 December 2012 |language=en |issn=0792-822X}} </ref><ref> {{cite news |title=Christmas dinner in Bethlehem: Stuffing and puddings with Palestinian flavours |url=https://www.middleeasteye.net/discover/christmas-dinner-palestine-bethlehem-dinner |access-date=5 January 2026 |work=Middle East Eye |date=23 December 2021 |language=en}} </ref>
==Gallery==
<gallery mode=packed heights=160px> File:القدرة الخليلية.jpg|Qidreh with lamb meat File:Qidreh.jpg|Qidreh with chickpeas </gallery>
==See also==
* Maqluba, Palestinian rice and meat pilaf * Mansaf, Jordanian rice and meat pilaf * Kabsa, Arabian rice and meat pilaf * Mandi, Yemeni rice and meat pilaf * Quzi, Iraqi rice and meat pilaf * Biryani, South Asian rice and meat pilaf * List of rice dishes
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Palestinian cuisine}}
Category:Palestinian cuisine Category:Rice dishes Category:Lamb and mutton dishes Category:Meat and rice dishes