Qatari Machboos (spiced rice with meat)

Recipe No.: G-46

Gulf150 minServes 6

Qatari machboos is the main lunch dish in Qatar: basmati rice cooked in meat broth with bzar and dried lime, with ground lime sprinkled on during steaming for a light tang. It appears at gatherings with daqoos and salad.

Ingredients for Qatari Machboos

• For the meat and broth
• 1.2 kgbone-in lamb, cut into medium pieces
• 1 tbspground dried lime (loomi), sprinkled over the rice while steaming
• 2onions, thinly sliced, 5 cloves garlic and a piece of ginger, grated
• 3tomatoes, chopped, and 2 tbsp tomato paste
• ¼ cupghee or oil
• 1½ tbspbzar spice mix (cumin, coriander, turmeric, black pepper, cardamom, clove, cinnamon)
• 3dried black limes (loomi), pierced, 2 cinnamon sticks, 4 cardamom pods and 2 bay leaves
• 1hot green chili (optional) and salt
• For the rice
• 3 cupsbasmati rice, soaked 30 minutes and drained
• 4½ cupsof the strained broth
• A pinch ofsaffron steeped in 2 tbsp rose water and a little hot water
• To serve
• Daqoos (tomato, garlic, coriander and chili) and lemon

Method

1. Heat the ghee in a large pot, brown the onions until deep golden, then add the garlic, ginger and spices for 30 seconds.
2. Add the lamb and sear 8 minutes, then the tomatoes, paste, loomi, cinnamon, cardamom, bay leaves and salt.
3. Add 1.8 litres boiling water and simmer 1½ hours, skim excess fat from the broth and brown the lamb in the oven for 10 minutes.
4. Strain the broth, measure 4½ cups and return it to the pot, bring to a boil and adjust the salt.
5. Add the drained rice and boil uncovered for 5 minutes until the liquid drops below the surface.
6. Sprinkle the saffron and rose water, cover tightly (with a cloth under the lid), cook on low for 20 minutes, then rest 10 minutes.
7. Fluff the rice and serve topped with the meat or chicken, with daqoos and lemon.

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