Heat oven to 220 C.
To a large, oven safe pot, add the rice, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, bay leaves, and dried lemon if using. Drizzle the olive oil on top of the rice in the pot. Pour water on top of the rice.
Cover the pan tightly with foil, creasing the eges of the foil around the pan to ensure a tight fit, and stab the foil evenly with a skewer to get a distribution of holes in the foil.
Season the lamb shoulder all over with salt, pepper, cumin powder and coriander, and massage the spices into the meat. Place the spiced meat on top of the foil covering the rice. Place a piece of parchment paper over the meat, then cover tightly with more aluminum foil so you have a foil wrapped parcel of lamb on top of the foil covered pot of rice.
Cook for 3 hours, or until the lamb is cooked through and pulls easily off the bone with a fork. Fluff the rice, place on a serving platter, and serve with the lamb on top of the rice, garnished with toasted nuts and raisins, and fresh coriander and parsley if desired.