Description
A warm and spiced dish featuring rice, meat, or a plant-based swap, perfect for feeding a group.
Ingredients
- 2 cups long grain rice, washed and drained
- 1 pound (450 g) ground lamb or beef, or 1 pound cooked chickpeas for a plant swap
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 small carrot, diced
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 3 cups water or light broth
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley or cilantro
- 2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds (optional)
- 1 lemon, cut in wedges (to serve)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat.
- Add the chopped onion and cook until soft, 4 to 5 minutes.
- Add the garlic, carrot, and red pepper. Cook 3 minutes more.
- Push the veg to the side and add the ground meat. Brown the meat, breaking it up with a spoon. If using chickpeas, add them now.
- Stir in the cumin, coriander, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Cook 1 minute until fragrant.
- Add the rice and stir to coat the grains with oil and spice.
- Pour in the water or broth. Bring to a boil.
- Lower the heat, cover the pan, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes until the rice is soft and the liquid is absorbed.
- Turn off the heat. Let the dish rest, covered, for 5 minutes.
- Fluff the rice with a fork. Stir in the parsley and nuts. Squeeze lemon over each plate to taste.
Notes
Serve hot with lemon wedges and extra herbs. Pairs well with yogurt, salad, or flatbread.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Middle Eastern