Riz bi Lahme/Ouzi/Lebanese Rice with Meat
Description
A beautiful aromatic celebratory dish from Lebanon; rice and meat laced with spices and steamed to impart a lovely fragrance and taste! A celebration in every bite!
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg / 3lb. 5 oz. / lamb or goat shoulder ask your butcher to cut it into thick pieces, to accommodate a large saucepan
- 500 g/ 1 lb 2 oz. ground beef or lamb
- 2 ¾ cups rice/ 600 g./ 1 lb. 5oz.
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon powder
- 1 teaspoon 7spice
- 1/3 cup pine nuts
- 1/3 cup blanched almond halves
- 1/3 cup raisins optional
- I tablespoon salt
- 1/3 cup sunflower oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
For the meat broth:
- 1 onion
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 cardamom pods
- 4 bay leaves
Instructions
- Wash the meat under running cold water and drain. Transfer to a stockpot large enough to accommodate the lamb pieces. Cover with water or to fully submerge the meat.
- Cook over medium to high heat. Spoon the scum out as it appears. Once it reaches a boiling point, add the cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, and bay leaves.
- Reduce heat to low, cover the stockpot and simmer for 4 to 5 hours or until the toughest cut of the meat falls off the bone.
- Strain the broth and save, transfer the meat onto a dish to cool down.
- Rinse the rice under cold running and drain. Heat oil and butter in a skillet, add the pine nuts, reduce heat to low and cook stirring constantly to a golden color. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with a kitchen paper towel. Repeat with the almonds.
- Transfer the fats you cooked the nuts with to a large stockpot, add the ground meat and cook until all the moisture has evaporated, and the meat begins to brown, Add the drained rice and stir for 1 minute. Add 4 ¼ cups of the prepared meat broth, salt, cinnamon powder and seven spice. Once the mixture starts boiling, cover the stockpot, reduce the heat to very low and simmer for 25-30 minutes, it is important not to mess with the steam.
- Transfer the cooked meat onto a baking tray, cover with aluminum foil and warm for 10 minutes. Debone.
- Fluff the rice with a fork to make sure that the grains do not stick together. Transfer onto a large serving platter, arrange the meat pieces atop of the rice and garnish with almonds and pine nuts.
Video
Notes
Leave it for special celebrations or when you have a few hours to spare in your kitchen! A total winner!
Throwing raisins on top of the dish, in my opinion, is hugely satisfying and adds a subtle spark of sweetness. The savory and sweet make magic together, but if you are not a fan of sweet and savory together leave them out.
If you make this recipe, share your pictures on Facebook! I would love to see your creations!Hashtag them #Hadia's Lebanese Cuisine
If you make this recipe, share your pictures on Facebook! I would love to see your creations!Hashtag them #Hadia's Lebanese Cuisine Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!