Recipe#27340

Title: Qabili Pilau (Lamb Rice)

rec.food.recipes archive

Qabili Pilau
(Lamb and Yellow rice with carrots and raisins)
Serves 4 
1 lb long grain rice, preferably basmati 
4 fl oz vegetable oil 
1 1/2 lb lamb on the bone or 1 chicken, cut in pieces 
1/2 pint water 
2 large carrots 
4 oz black seedless raisins 
2 tsp char marsala or cumin 
1/4 tsp saffron (optional) 
2 1/2 pints water 
salt and pepper 
Brown 1 medium diced onion in oil. Fry until the onion is fairly
dark. Add 1 lb lamb or beef cut into 1"-2" cubes and brown lightly.
Add 2 cups of water, 1 tsp. Salt and 1 to 1  tsp each (cinnamon,
ground cumin and ground cardamom) Cover and simmer until meat is
tender, about an hour.
Remove meat from the juice and set juice aside. Cut 3 carrots into
match stick size pieces. Saute carrots and 1 tsp sugar in about
1/4 cup of oil. Cook until they are lightly browned. Remove from
oil. Add 1 cup raisins or golden sultanas to the oil and cook until
they swell up.
Boil the meat juice and add 2 cups basmati (very long grained)
rice, 1  tsp salt and enough boiling water to come 2 inches over
the rice. Cook until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender--but
NOT mushy.
Mix the meat, carrots, raisins and rice together. Place in a large
oven-proof casserole, cover and bake at 300 degrees for about a
half hour--or up to an hour. To serve--place on platter, making
sure the carrots and raisins show on top.