Braised Lamb Shanks with Qabili Palao Rice
- Level: Advanced
- Yield: 6 servings
- Total: 10 hr (includes soaking time)
- Active: 45 min
Ingredients
Lamb Shanks:
4 lamb shanks
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
3 plum tomatoes, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 bunch cilantro, chopped
Salt and black pepper
One 15-ounce can whole tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
Qabili Palao Rice:
3 cups basmati rice, soaked overnight
3 cups reserved lamb stock (from cooking the lamb shanks)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons saffron water
3 teaspoons Seven-Spice Mixture, recipe follows
2 teaspoons crushed cardamom pods
Pinch saffron
Rice Topping:
1 large carrot, julienned
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup sliced almonds, optional
1/4 cup pistachios, optional
3 tablespoons oil
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
Pinch saffron
Seven-Spice Mixture:
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon ground black cardamom
1 teaspoon ground green cardamom
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Directions
Special equipment:
a pressure cooker- For the lamb shanks: Place the lamb in a pressure cooker and cover with water by about 2 inches. Add the coriander, garlic, turmeric, plum tomatoes, onions, cilantro and 1 1/2 teaspoons each salt and pepper. Cook at 250 degrees F for about 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
- Release the steam in the pressure cooker, then carefully open it and transfer the lamb to a large pot along with about 2 1/2 cups of lamb juice. Reserve the remaining juice for the rice.
- Add the canned tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste, crushed red pepper, paprika and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper; mix thoroughly. Transfer to the oven and bake for 20 minutes, adding lamb juice as needed so it doesn't dry out.
- For the qabili palao rice: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Boil the rice in water until tender, about 10 minutes. Strain and return to the pot.
- Mix together the reserved lamb stock, oil and saffron water in a bowl and pour over the rice. Add the Seven-Spice Mixture, cardamom pods and saffron; mix thoroughly. Cover with foil and bake for 20 to 25 minutes.
- For the rice topping: Meanwhile, bring 1/2 cup water to a boil in a pan. Add the carrots and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the raisins, almonds and pistachios if using, oil, sugar, ground cardamom and saffron; mix well. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Place about half of the rice on a platter and arrange the lamb shanks on top. Cover with the remaining rice and top with the carrot mixture.
Seven-Spice Mixture:
- Mix together the black pepper, black cardamom, green cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, coriander and cumin in a bowl.