Qabili Palau

🛒 Ingredients

• Lamb shoulder, boneless 125 g · 367 kcal
• Basmati rice, dry 83 g · 303 kcal
• Carrots, julienned 67 g · 27 kcal
• Golden raisins 17 g · 51 kcal
• Blanched almonds, slivered 8 g · 46 kcal
• Onion, chopped 50 g · 20 kcal
• Vegetable oil 17 g · 153 kcal
• Granulated sugar 8 g · 32 kcal
• Ground cumin 1 g · 4 kcal
• Ground cardamom 1 g · 2 kcal
• Black pepper, ground 1 g · 1 kcal
• Water or Lamb broth 250 g · 0 kcal

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. Rinse basmati rice thoroughly and soak in warm water for 30 minutes, then drain. In a large pot, brown the lamb pieces in half of the vegetable oil over medium-high heat until all sides are seared; remove lamb and set aside.
2. Add chopped onion to the pot with remaining oil and sauté until softened and golden. Stir in ground cumin, ground cardamom, and black pepper, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Return the lamb to the pot, add enough water or lamb broth to cover the meat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1.5-2 hours or until the lamb is very tender.
4. While the lamb cooks, prepare the toppings: In a small pan, heat a tablespoon of oil and sauté the julienned carrots for 5-7 minutes. Add granulated sugar and cook until the carrots are caramelized and tender, then remove.
5. In the same pan, quickly fry the golden raisins for 1-2 minutes until plump, then add the slivered almonds and fry for another minute until lightly golden; set aside with the carrots.
6. Once the lamb is tender, remove the pieces from the broth. Reserve the broth, skimming any excess fat. Slightly reduce the broth if it's too much. The quantity should be about 250ml per serving of rice.
7. In a separate large pot, bring the reserved broth to a boil. Add the drained basmati rice and cook for 5-7 minutes until parboiled (al dente). Drain the rice immediately.
8. To assemble: In a clean large pot with a heavy bottom, place the cooked lamb pieces at the bottom. Layer half of the parboiled rice over the lamb.
9. Spread the carrot-raisin-almond mixture evenly over the rice. Top with the remaining parboiled rice.
10. Cover the pot tightly with a lid, optionally wrapping it with a kitchen towel to trap steam. Cook on very low heat for 30-40 minutes, allowing the rice to steam and absorb flavors.
11. Once cooked, gently fluff the rice with a fork, mixing some of the lamb and toppings throughout. Serve hot, garnished with extra carrots, raisins, and almonds if desired.