🍛 Timman wa Qeema (Rice with Meat & Chickpea Stew)

Method

1. Use the 1 cup chickpeas soaked overnight, drain and rinse them, and cut the 700 g meat into medium pieces.

2. Put the meat and chickpeas in a pot with 4 cups water and salt over high heat until boiling, skim the foam, then cover and cook over low heat for 1 1/2 hours until the meat falls apart and the chickpeas are tender.

3. Wash the 3 cups rice and soak it in water for 30 minutes before the boiling time ends, then drain.

4. Drain the meat and chickpeas, keeping the broth, and mash them with a wooden spoon while hot until they turn into fine shreds.

5. Finely chop the 2 onions and fry them in the 4 tbsp oil over medium heat for 8 minutes until golden.

6. Add the 3 tbsp tomato paste, 1 tbsp seven spices, turmeric and black pepper, plus the cinnamon if using, and stir for 2 minutes until fragrant.

7. Add the mashed meat and chickpeas with 1 cup of the broth, pierce the 3 dried limes and add them too.

8. Cook over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring now and then, until thick and smooth, adding a little broth if it dries out.

9. For the rice, boil 4 cups water with salt, add the rice and the 2 tbsp ghee if using, and cook over high heat until the water is absorbed and holes appear on the surface.

10. Cover the rice over low heat for 20 minutes until cooked and the grains separate.

11. Spread the rice on a platter and serve the qeema hot on top or alongside.

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