Arabic Style Rice With Lamb Meat Recipes

Steps:

• Throw the lentils into a medium saucepan. Fill with enough cold water to cover the lentils by about an inch. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat, then turn down to a simmer and cook until the lentils are tender but not mushy, about 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Meanwhile, as the lentils cook, grab a large skillet. Pop it over medium-high heat and add the oil. Allow the oil to warm for a minute, then drop in the cumin seeds and cracked peppercorns and cook, shaking the pan once in a while until the cumin seeds darken a touch, about 1 minute.
• Add the onions, sprinkle with a dash of salt and cook until they turn dark caramel brown, stirring often. This will take about 15 minutes. Splash the onions with a little water if they stick to the bottom of the pan. You'll know they're done both by their deep chestnut color and by the slight crispiness developing on some of the onions.
• Using a slotted spoon or spatula, remove about half of the onions to a paper towel-lined plate; these are for garnish later. Sprinkle in the ground cumin, cayenne and then add the cinnamon stick; saute about 1 minute.
• Add the rice and cook, stirring often (but gently so you don't break the rice!) until some rice grains start to brown. Quickly, add the cooked lentils, 3 cups of water and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt; bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low so that the pan is at a simmer, cover and cook 30 minutes. The water should be completely evaporated and rice should be tender. (If there's still too much water in the bottom, put the lid back on and cook for another 5 minutes.)
• Turn off the heat, keep the lid on, and allow the rice to steam undisturbed for about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts, if using, in a small skillet over medium-low heat, shaking often, about 5 minutes.
• Taste the rice for seasoning. Serve with the reserved caramelized onions, toasted pine nuts, if using, and a little squeeze of lemon juice. I also like to serve this with some dollops of Greek yogurt.

Steps:

• Brown lightly lamb meat in butter.
• Add salt and spices and stir for 2 minutes.
• Add two cups rice, stir and add the 3½ boiling Chicken Broth and mix well.
• Bring to Boil.
• Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until rice is tender and water is absorbed.
• Let cool for ½ hour and put in large serving dish and ready to serve.
• You can serve with natural plain yogurt if desired.
• (optional).
• in the meantime rice is cooling saute ½ cup pine nuts (pignoli nuts)in 3-4 tbs. olive oil or vegetable oil until light brown.
• Decorate rice and meat dish with the sauted pine nuts and serve.

Steps:

• Brown lamb in a bit of butter and set aside.
• Saute' onion in rest of butter, until tender.
• Add the rice, then saute' until rice is barely golden brown.
• Add the water, pinenuts, cinnamon, allspice, cooked lamb and salt.
• Bring to boil, cover and reduce heat to low, cook 30 minutes or until rice is done.
• NOTE: This can be used with lamb that is cut up in bite size pieces also.
• If there is a bone in the lamb, you can add more flavor to the dish by browning the bone and letting it cook with the rice, then remove the bone when serving the dish (but of course you know that).

Steps:

• In 4 quart slow cooker, combine lamb, apple, seasoning packet from rice mix, broth and curry powder; mix well.
• Cover; cook on low setting for 7 to 9 hours.
• About 25 minutes before serving, add rice and raisins; mix well.
• Cover; cook on high setting for an additional 20 minutes or until rice is tender.
• Garnish with almonds.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Soak saffron threads and set aside.
• Meat: In a large pot in plenty of water add the ground lamb, 2 T. of the onion and salt and pepper. Bring to boil and cook meat for about 15-20 minutes or until meat is no longer pink. Drain meat and reserve all the cooking liquid. Set meat aside. (It is very important to save the liquid as this will be used to cook the rice.).
• Rice: In pan combine the reserved lamb stock, the rice, the saffron threads-straining the threads but including the soaking water, cinnamon, ground cumin, ground coriander and the cardamom powder. Cover, bring to boil and simmer 20 minutes or until grains are tender.
• While the rice is cooking saute the carrots with the sugar on medium heat in a little bit of oil about 5 minutes, being careful not to burn. Next add the onion and raisins and saute another 2 or 3 minutes until carrots are slightly tender but still firm, onions are soft and raisins have plumped up. Set aside.
• Lightly oil an oven proof casserole dish. Spoon half of the carrot mixture on bottom of casserole, followed by part of the meat mixture, then some of the rice, layering the ingredients so that you end up with rice on top. Cover and bake about 25 minutes in low oven.
• Remove casserole dish from oven. Garnish with the remaining carrot/raisin mixture and fresh cilantro sprigs. Season with salt if necessary.