This is the one served with ouzi or the arabic styled roasted lamb.its really aromatic and flavourful.
Our lebanese chef Ibrahim Hadla, would make this really well and i learnt how to do it by watching him.After that i would usually make this for 900 odd people on New years eve buffet.!! in a huge 300 ltrs tilting braising pan.Now i know you might not have that at home so this is modified to suit your home kitchen.
you will need
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lamb mince- 200 gms
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onion chopped- 1 no / 150 gms
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garlic- 2-3 cloves chopped
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bayleaf-1 no
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baharat powder- 1/2 teaspoon ( you can make this one at home and use for shawarma etc, needs cinnamon, cloves, some green cardamom and some pepper, quite strong on the cloves)
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cinnamon powder as well again -1//4 tsp
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black pepper powder-1/4 tsp
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Gum arabic/ gundar/ gond/mistika – 1/4 tsp- pounded with some rock salt to a fine powder
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Basmati rice- 250 gms soaked in cold water and washed well.
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Saffron strands- 1/4 gm or less- toast in microwave for 15 seconds and soak with water first
- oil+Butter mix-25 ml
Process
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heat oil and add onions and garlic, lightly brown and then add the mince, which has to be really well browned and caramelised.
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then add the spice powders and stir fry even more. add bayleaf and the rice and continue to stir fry till the rice is well coated with the mince and the oil . that will make the rice grains quite separate and nice when the mix has cooked.add in the gum arabic powder.
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Add in enough hot stock or water (you can add some chicken stock powder to cheat) to cover the rice and a little more still.
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Top with the saffron which you must have soaked in a little water.(what you dint know that?.Then get out of here).
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cover with a lid for about 10-12 minutes on a low heat .
- Serve with roasted lamb as an accompaniment.you can top the rice with fried almonds, cashew, pistachio ..