Omani Qabooli - Slow Cook Lamb and Rice
This dish is probably the one dish you will find all over Oman. Sometimes even without the meat addition. The rice is so flavourful and filled with an abundance of rice, that is acts as a meal on its own.
Legend has it that dish originated from the city of Kabul, in Afghanistan. Through the travels and migration of merchants during the Bronze Age when Oman was known for being the place to trade copper, many people from Afghanistan came. Some Omanis tell stories of how Afghanis made their version for the locals, but the locals then added in spices that were familiar to them such as dried limes and then over the years when Oman began to trade spices within East Africa they enhanced their version with more spices from Zanzibar.
A great dish to serve up for family and friends, i’ve made it for supper clubs and love it as my Sunday lunch tradition.
LAMB SHANKS
4 lamb shanks
1 onion
2 TBSP garlic paste
1 TBSP ginger paste
1 TBSP coriander seeds
1 TBSP black pepper
1 TBSP cumin
1 TBSP dried chilies
1 TBSP baharat spice blend
1 TBSP cardamom pods
1 TBSP cloves
6 bay leaves
2 dried limes, pierced
2 cinnamon sticks
Salt, to taste
Ingredients
Rice
1 teaspoon of saffron threads
1 tablespoon sugar
1 cup raisins or barberries
2 onions, slices & divided
1 tbsp baharat spice blend
3 cups rice
4 1/ 2 cups reserved lamb stock water (for rice)
50g cashews
400g Tinned Chickpeas
Handful Coriander, chopped for garnish
Pomegranate arils, for garnish
Method
Heat your oven to 200°C.
In a mortar and pestle, mix the saffron strands and sugar together until they form a powder, then pour 2 cups of boiling water over the saffron sugar.
Pour 1 cup of this saffron water over the dried fruit and allow to soak, reserve the rest for the lamb.
Thinly slice 1 onion and add to a large saucepan on medium heat with garlic and ginger paste, as well as enough oil to cover the base. Slightly fry the onions till they begin to sweat and become transparent and then add in all of the spices. Increase the heat to high and fry the spices and onions together until everything has turned golden, 2-3 minutes.
Make a couple of slits in your lamb shanks and the place them flat in the sauce pan. Allow the shanks to brown on the bottom and then turn over to brown the other side. Make sure to check there is enough oil so that they don’t burn or stick. Once you are happy with the colouring of your shanks, add in around 4 cups of water to the saucepan. The water needs to just cover the shanks so this may be more or less water for you. Place the saucepan lid on top and leave on a high heat and allow the lamb to boil for 1 hour.
After an hour, check on the shanks. They will have shrunk considerably and come away from the bone. At this point I taste the water to make sure I have added enough salt. Then return the lid and cook for a further 25 minutes.
While you wait for the final boiling of the lamb, begin your rice. Thinly slice an onion and add half of it to a saucepan or a rice cooker with oil and baharat.
Fry your onions till they are golden, 4-5 minutes. Then add in your rice and fry slightly, just to coat the rice in the spice and onion mix. Set aside.
By this point your lamb will be ready. Place your lamb pieces onto a foiled baking tray and using a brush, glaze the saffron water all over the shanks. Take a second piece of foil and cover the top of the lamb, making sure it’s sealed all around. Place in the oven and reduce the temperature to 160°c and roast for 45 minutes.
Using the water leftover from the lamb, pour 4 1/2 cups over your rice, if you are not a fan of whole spices in your food you can use a sieve to catch them while pouring the water over the rice. Place a lid on and leave your rice to cook on a low heat till all the water is absorbed and the rice is soft and fluffy.
Take the other half of the onion and add to a frying pan with oil. Fry off till they are translucent. Once they begin to turn golden, add in your dried fruit mix, chickpeas and cashews, fry for 5 minutes, just till the nuts have slightly softened.
Once your lamb and rice are ready you can begin to plate. Start with the rice, then add in your dried fruit mix on top, followed by your shanks. Top with chopped cilantro and pomegranate seeds. Enjoy!
