Quzi (Lamb over Spiced Rice)

Name: Quzi (Lamb over Spiced Rice)
Total time: 3 h
Ingredients: Meat: 2 kg bone-in lamb; Rice: 4 cups; Onion: 2; Seven spices: 2 tbsp; Cardamom: 6 pods; Loomi (dried lime): 2; Turmeric: 1 tsp; Ghee: 4 tbsp; Salt: to taste; Black pepper: 1 tsp; Water: 8 cups

Fall-off-the-bone lamb over spiced rice with nuts and raisins, the centrepiece of Iraqi feasts.

⏱Time3 hr
📊DifficultyAdvanced
👥Serves8 people
🔥Per serving900 kcal

🇮🇶 Iraqi

Ingredients for 8 people

Meat2 kg bone-in lamb
Rice4 cups
Onion2
Seven spices2 tbsp
Cardamom6 pods
Loomi (dried lime)2
Turmeric1 tsp
Ghee4 tbsp
Saltto taste
Black pepper1 tsp
Water8 cups

Optional extras

Almonds1/2 cup
Raisins1/2 cup
Peas1 cup
Vermicelli1/2 cup
Bay leaves2 leaves

Nutrition per serving

Calories: 900
Protein: 41 g
Carbs: 91 g
Fat: 42 g

Approximate values; they vary with the exact ingredients you use.

Method

Boil the meat with the onion, cardamom, pierced loomi, bay leaves and salt, skim off the foam and simmer over low heat for 2 hours until tender.
🤫 The cook's secret
Skimming the foam at the first boil keeps the broth clear; otherwise it clouds the rice and makes it taste heavy.
Remove the meat, brush it with a little spice and ghee and brown it in the oven at 220°C for 15 minutes.
Toast the vermicelli in ghee, then add the soaked rice, spices and turmeric and stir for 2 minutes.
Add 6 cups of the meat broth and the peas, bring to a boil, then cover and cook over low heat for 25 minutes.
Fry the almonds and raisins in a little ghee.
Spread the rice on a large tray, set the meat in the centre and garnish with the almonds and raisins.

💡 One more secret for this dish in the Tahwa app (Plus) — like cooking next to an expert.