Qabili Pilau

Description

Lamb and yellow rice with carrots and raisins

Ingredients

• 1 lb long-grain rice, preferably basmati
• 4 fl oz vegetable oil
• 1½ lb lamb on the bone or 1 chicken, cut in pieces
• ½ pint water
• 2 large carrots
• 4 oz black seedless raisins
• 2 tsp char marsala or cumin
• ¼ tsp saffron (optional)
• 2½ pints water
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. Brown 1 medium diced onion in oil.
2. Fry until the onion is fairly dark.
3. Add 1 lb lamb or beef cut into 1"-2" cubes and brown lightly.
4. Add 2 cups of water, 1 tsp.salt and 1 to 1 ½ tsp each (cinnamon, ground cumin and ground cardamom) cover and simmer until meat is tender, about an hour.
5. Remove meat from the juice and set juice aside.
6. Cut 3 carrots into match stick size pieces.
7. Saute carrots and 1 tsp sugar in about ¼ cup of oil.
8. Cook until they are lightly browned.
9. Remove from oil add 1 cup of raisins (i prefer golden sultanas) to the oil and cook until they swell up.
10. Boil the meat juice and add 2 cups basmati (very long grained) rice, 1½ tsp salt and enough boiling water to come 2 inches over the rice.
11. Cook until the water is absorbed and the rice is tender—but not mushy.
12. Mix the meat, carrots, raisins and rice together.
13. Place in a large oven-proof casserole, cover and bake at 300 degrees for about a half hour—or up to an hour.
14. To serve—place on platter, making sure the carrots and raisins show on top.