Lamb Qabuli Palaw

A rice dish with long, glossy grains that separate perfectly, infused with lamb cooking juices. The meat flakes with a fork under a garnish of crunchy carrots and sweet raisins.

• Prep time: 40 min
• Cook time: 90 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 1467
• Protein: 58 g
• Carbs: 133 g
• Fat: 73 g

Ingredients

• 800 g Lamb shoulder ( cut into large cubes )
• 500 g Thai or basmati rice ( soaked for 30 minutes )
• 3 piece Carrot ( julienned )
• 2 piece Yellow onion ( finely sliced )
• 100 g Raisin ( washed )
• 100 ml Sunflower oil
• 2 tbsp White sugar
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 1 tsp cardamom ( ground )
• 50 g Almond with skin optional ( slivered )
• 1 pinch Gray sea salt
• 1 tbsp Char Masala

Instructions

1. Brown the lamb

   In a heavy pot, heat the sunflower oil. Brown the lamb pieces on all sides until a deep brown crust forms. Remove the meat.

2. Confit onions and deglaze

   In the same oil, add the sliced onions. Let them brown until translucent and colored. Return the meat, add the cumin, cardamom, char masala, and cover with water. Simmer on low heat until the meat is tender.

3. Prepare the sweet garnish

   Cut the carrots into thin matchsticks. In a pan, sauté them with sugar and a little oil until tender but still firm. Add the raisins and almonds at the end of cooking to let them plump up.

4. Cook the rice by absorption

   Wash the rice until the water runs clear. Pour it into the meat cooking broth (filtered if necessary). The rice should absorb the fragrant liquid and turn dark. It should remain firm to the bite.

5. Final assembly

   Place the meat in the center of the rice, cover with the carrot-raisin mixture. Cover tightly and let steam on very low heat so the flavors meld without burning.

Chef's tips

• Rice must be rinsed several times to remove starch: grains should stay separate after cooking.
• Don't skip browning the meat, it's what gives the rice its characteristic brown color.

Storage

Keeps for 3 days in the fridge. Reheat by steaming to prevent the rice from drying out.