This video documents the procurement, preparation, and consumption of a whole camel feast, reportedly costing $3000, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The process begins at a camel market, where the host learns that camels are valued based on their lineage for breeding purposes rather than by weight for meat. The video shows the slaughter of the selected camel, the tasting of fresh camel milk, and the meticulous, multi-hour cooking process in a massive pot. Key culinary steps include seasoning the meat with traditional spices (baharat), preparing a pan-fried camel liver appetizer (kabda), and using the rich camel broth to cook rice and vegetables. In a notable fusion element, spaghetti is also cooked in the broth and served as a topping. The final dish is presented on a large communal platter and consumed by the host and his party. As far as I can tell, the video is a straightforward food travelogue sponsored by the airline Flynas.
Procurement and Preparation of a $3000 Camel Feast
1:36 Camel Market Visit: The journey starts at a Riyadh camel market to select an animal. It's explained that prized camels are valued for their lineage, with a top breeding male costing as much as 100,000 SAR (~$26,000 USD).
12:55 The Slaughter: The selected camel is slaughtered on-site, a process the host notes is his first time witnessing.
16:38 Fresh Camel Milk: Before cooking, the host tastes fresh, warm, frothy camel milk, which is described as slightly sweet.
22:12 The Cooking Begins: The camel is butchered into large pieces and placed in a colossal pot to simmer. The meat is seasoned with spices including salt, cinnamon, black pepper, and dried lemon.
27:19 Camel Liver Appetizer (Kabda): While the main course cooks, pan-fried camel liver seasoned with cumin and salt is prepared and served as an appetizer, noted as a traditional Saudi breakfast dish.
33:28 Broth Utilization: The rich broth from the simmering camel is a critical ingredient, used to cook the rice and vegetables in separate pots, infusing them with flavor.
41:22 A Surprising Addition: In a non-traditional twist, spaghetti is cooked in the camel and vegetable broth to be served with the main dish.
47:29 The Final Feast: The meal is assembled on a massive platter: a bed of rice topped with the tender camel meat, vegetables, and finally the spaghetti. The host highlights the tenderness of the meat and the flavor of the hump fat.