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!

Riz bi Lahme/ Ouzi/ Lebanese Rice with Meat (Video)

Regardless how you celebrate at holidays, food is always a substantial part of any family tradition, if you appreciate discovering recipes that would be by time part of your holiday cooking repertoire, then I guess “Riz bi La7me/ Ouzi/ Lebanese Rice with Meat” is sure to be on the top list! A beautiful aromatic rice served at celebrations, like Christmas, Eid and weddings in Lebanon. Spruce up the holiday table with a Lebanese classic! The holiday season is a time for indulgence! Wish you all a joyful holiday season! Watch the video tutorial below.

It is not a dish you should expect to make in a hurry, or to have it on your table in 30 minutes, unless you cook the meat a day before – an easy recipe but it does require a wee bit of patience.

You need to use bone in meat lamb with tougher cuts like lamb shoulder, or lamb neck.  Cook slow and low, until the meat falls off the bone and literally melts in your mouth.  Cook for at least four hours to ensure that the meat is cooked through.

The bay leaves, cinnamon stick and cardamom pods added to the meat while simmering, provide the dish with a special dimension and a better flavor profile.  The flavors will meld together and develop an incredible broth. Cooking the rice with the broth is a certain way to add a remarkable flavor

Lebanese seven spice, cinnamon powder and salt are the sacred trinity for the gorgeous aromatic flavor.  The spices lend the dish a bold flavor with just the right mellow notes together.  Don’t be tempted to add more or less than the stated in the recipe. Believe me it is well balanced!!

Seven spice is a Lebanese/Syrian mixture, the classic mix contains ground black and white pepper, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice and coriander. Rarely does anyone grind or mix up the 7spice, as it is readily available in all stores in Lebanon. If for any reason seven spice is hard to find, the best substitute would be allspice.

The dish is classically piled with toasted pine nuts and almonds and both nuts will elevate the dish over the top; pine nuts are known to be prohibitively expensive in some countries, so feel free to leave them out – almonds would be still fine on their own.

Pan toasting the nuts with oil and butter is far better in taste than the ones you get by browning them in the oven, though ultra health food conscious people would disagree with me, but the holiday season is a time for indulgence, forgive me for that!

Heat the oil and butter in a skillet, and stir in the pine nuts, reduce heat to low and cook stirring constantly to a golden color.  Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool down.  Repeat with the almonds.  A garnish of toasted almonds and pine nuts emphasizes the nutty flavor of the rice!

My favorite rice to use here would be jasmine rice or even long grain rice would work quite well!  You need to rinse the rice under cold running water before cooking.

Saute the ground meat with the fats you toasted the nuts with. It only needs a few minutes to brown before you add the broth, salt, rice and spices.  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.

Fluff the rice with a fork before transfering to the serving dish.

The tender cooked meat with the crunchy toasted almonds over the fragrant spicy rice, will impart a flavor in full bloom!

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.

Leave it for special celebrations or when you have a few hours to spare in your kitchen! A total winner!

Watch the detailed video tutorial to learn how to make Lebanese Rice and Meat.

Riz bi Lahme/ Ouzi/ Lebanese Rice with Meat

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

Directions:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. Strain the broth and save, transfer the meat onto a dish to cool down.
5. 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.
6. 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.
7. Transfer the cooked meat onto a baking tray, cover with aluminum foil and warm for 10 minutes. Debone.
8. 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.

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If you make this recipe, share your pictures on Facebook! I would love to see your creations!Hashtag them #Hadia's Lebanese Cuisine