Lamb Mandi

An easy one pot recipe of rice and lamb, where the rice gets cooked at the same time as the meat, and collects all the juice from the meat. Simply spiced, traditional and delicious!

Course Main Course

Cuisine Middle Eastern

Diet Halal

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 3

Total Time 3 5

Servings people

Calories 573kcal

Author Farah Abumaizar

Equipment

Large oven-safe pot
Aluminum foil
Skewer
Parchment paper

Ingredients

3 cups long grain basmati rice, soaked and rinsed
1 cinnamon stick
3 whole cardamom pods
1-2 bay leaves
1 dried lemon (lumee) if you have it
1 tablespoon olive oil
4.5 cups water
1.5 kg lamb shoulder with bone, trimmed of fat
salt to season
pepper to season
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon coriander powder

Instructions

Heat the oven to 220°C.
Add the rice, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, bay leaves and dried lemon (if using) to a large oven-safe pot. Drizzle the olive oil over the rice, then pour the water on top.
Cover the pot tightly with foil, creasing the edges of the foil around the pot for a tight seal. Stab holes evenly all over the foil with a skewer.
Season the lamb shoulder all over with the salt, pepper, cumin and coriander, and massage the spices into the meat.
Place the lamb on top of the foil covering the rice. Lay a piece of parchment paper over the lamb, then cover tightly with more foil, so you have a foil-wrapped parcel of lamb sitting on top of the foil-covered pot of rice.
Cook for 3 hours, until the lamb is cooked through and pulls easily off the bone with a fork. If it doesn't, seal the foil back up and cook for another 20 to 30 minutes.
Remove the foil and lift off the lamb, then fluff the rice. Spoon the rice onto a serving platter and top with the lamb. Garnish with toasted nuts and raisins, and fresh coriander or parsley if desired.

Notes

Ingredient Notes

Bone-in lamb shoulder gives the most tender, pull-apart result. Lamb thigh works too, but is less tender.
The dried lemon (loomi) is optional.
Soak and rinse the basmati rice before it goes into the pot.

Recipe Tips

Seal the foil tightly around the pot and around the lamb so the steam and juices stay inside.
Poke the holes evenly across the foil so the juices drip all over the rice.
Only fluff the rice after you've removed the foil and lifted off the lamb.

Storing Leftovers

Store the rice and lamb in airtight containers in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
Reheat in the microwave or a covered pan with a splash of water until piping hot.
Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Nutrition