Emirati Ouzi (spiced lamb & rice)

Recipe No.: E-47

Emirati200 minServes 6

Ouzi (also khuzi) is slow-roasted lamb on rice with a filling of split peas and raisins, served on a large platter at gatherings, weddings and feasts in the UAE and the Gulf. In the grandest tradition a whole lamb is cooked in an underground oven.

Ingredients for Emirati Ouzi

• 1 kglamb shanks or shoulder, or 1.5 kg bone-in lamb
• 2 tbspghee (samn)
• 1 tspbezar, 1 tsp turmeric and salt
• ½Juice of lemon and 1 tbsp saffron water
• For the hashwa
• 1 cupyellow split peas, boiled
• 1large onion, chopped, and 3 tbsp raisins
• ½ tspturmeric, ½ tsp cardamom and ¼ tsp cinnamon
• For the rice
• 3 cupsbasmati rice, soaked 30 minutes
• 6 cupslamb or chicken stock
• 3 tbspghee, 4 cardamom pods, 1 cinnamon stick, 2 bay leaves
• 1 tspsaffron water and 1 tbsp rose water
• Chopped mint and coriander and fried almonds to garnish

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 150°C. Rub the lamb with ghee, bezar, turmeric, salt, lemon and saffron water.
2. Place the lamb in a tray with 1 cup water, cover tightly with foil, and cook in the oven for 2½ to 3 hours until it falls apart.
3. For the hashwa: brown the onion in a spoon of ghee until golden, add the boiled split peas, raisins, turmeric, cardamom, cinnamon and salt, and stir for 5 minutes.
4. For the rice: bring the stock to a boil with the ghee, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves and salt, add the drained rice and cook until most of the stock is absorbed.
5. Add the saffron and rose waters, cover the rice and cook on the lowest heat for 20 minutes.
6. Serve the rice on a large platter, top with the hashwa and then the lamb, and garnish with mint, coriander and almonds.

Try the interactive Chef Meerath on the main site · هذه الوصفة بالعربية