Name: Lamb Kabsa
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 1 h 45 min
Total time: 2 h 10 min
Cuisine: Saudi
Ingredients: 1.2 kg lamb, on the bone (shoulder or leg pieces); 2 onions, chopped; 4 garlic cloves, minced; 1 tbsp ginger, grated; 4 tomatoes, grated; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 60 ml (¼ cup) oil; 3 dried limes (loomi), pierced; 1 cinnamon stick, 5 cardamom, 5 cloves, 2 bay leaves; 1½ tbsp kabsa spice mix (baharat); 1 tsp black pepper; Pinch of saffron; 1.5 litres water; Salt to taste; 500 g (2½ cups) basmati rice, soaked 30 min; About 1 litre reserved lamb broth; 3 tbsp fried almonds and pine nuts; 2 tbsp raisins; Chopped parsley; Daqoos, to serve

Lamb kabsa with tender bone-in lamb over spiced basmati rice — Illustrative photo · Photo: Utilisateur:Atilin · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Lamb kabsa is the version reserved for guests and gatherings, when a whole shoulder or leg is simmered until falling-apart tender in the aromatic kabsa broth. The lamb's richness deepens the rice, making this the grand centrepiece of feasts, weddings and Eid across the Kingdom.

Servings: 6
Prep: 25 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 45 minutes
Total: 2 hours 10 minutes (plus 30 min soaking)
Difficulty: Intermediate
Rice: Aged long-grain basmati

Method

Tick a step to mark it done.

Step 1: Brown the onions in oil, then add the garlic, ginger and lamb; sear the meat well.
Step 2: Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, spices, dried limes and salt; cook until the oil separates.
Step 3: Add the water, cover and simmer (or pressure-cook) until the lamb is very tender, about 1½ hours on the stove or 40 minutes under pressure. Remove the lamb; strain and measure about 1 litre of broth.
Step 4: Broil the lamb briefly for colour if you like.
Step 5: Cook the drained rice in the measured broth with the saffron: boil, then cover and cook low 15–18 minutes. Rest.
Step 6: Plate the rice, top with the lamb and garnish with fried nuts, raisins and parsley. Serve with daqoos.