Fragrant Lamb Kabsa (10 min prep time!)

Ingredients

For the meat

• 1.5 kilogram bone in lamb shoulder or leg, medium pieces (veal is also a good option)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 medium onions diced
• 3 dried limes (optional)
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 3 bay leaves
• 6 green cardamom pods
• 5 whole cloves
• 1.5 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ½ cup tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 4 cups water

For the rice

• 3 cups basmati rice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4.5 cups broth

For the Garnish

• ½ cup slivered almonds
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ cup raisins

Instructions

For the meat:

1. Start by peeling, washing and dicing the onions.
2. Next, in a non-stick pot (or in the instant pot), sauté the onions until soft and lightly brown, for about 7 minutes, on medium heat.
3. Next, in the same pot with the onions inside, sear the lamb pieces for a few minutes on each side. Don’t worry if the pot is crowded, aim to get some colour on the meat.
4. Next, add the whole spices and the ground spices to the pot with the meat and onions and cook for a few minutes.
5. Next, add the tomato paste and cook for a few minutes.
6. Add the tomato sauce and the water to the pot, and now you have the option to cook the meat on the stove top or the pressure cooker.
7. For the pressure cooker (or instant pot), pressure cook for 20 minutes. Manually release the pressure and move on to the next step.
8. For the stove top, cook on medium high heat for approximately 60 minutes until the meat is very tender, making sure to replenish the water as required.
9. Once the meat is soft, remove it from the broth and place it in a plate to the side. Strain the broth from the onions and whole spices.

For the rice

1. While the meat is cooking, wash the rice until liquid runs clear, then soak it for 30 minutes.
2. Layer the meat at the bottom of the pot that you will cook the rice in (this can be the same pot you used for the meat if you cooked it on the stove top).
3. Then, pour over the meat broth that you strained, making sure that you use exactly 4.5 cups (for 3 cups of rice). If you don’t have enough broth, just top it up with water. If you have too much broth, save it for a future use.
4. Place the pot onto high heat for 5 minutes until liquid is bubbling.
5. Place a paper towel over the pot, then cover it with a tight-fitting lid and simmer on low heat for 25 minutes.
6. After 25 minutes, turn the heat off and fluff it with a fork.
7. Toast the almonds on medium heat in the olive oil, stirring frequently until lightly golden. Remove and add the raisins in the same skillet for 1-2 minutes until warmed through.
8. Serve in a large platter by adding a layer of the rice and meat, then garnishing with almonds, raisins, and finely chopped parsley if desired. Enjoy!

Notes

1. You can use veal in this recipe as a substitute for lamb
2. Make sure you use long-grain rice, preferably Basmati
3. Ensure you follow the exact rice to liquid ratio specified in the recipe to ensure you succeed
4. You have the option to cook the meat in the pressure cooker, which is my preferred and much faster method. But if you don’t have one, you can cook on the stove top until tender, which takes roughly 60 minutes