Fadi's Mom Authentic Recipes Recipe

Pat and season

Pat the lamb pieces dry with paper towels. Season evenly with 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin. Let sit 10 minutes at room temperature.

Sear the lamb

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and 3 tablespoons ghee in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. When shimmering, add lamb in a single layer (work in batches to avoid crowding). Brown on all sides, 6–8 minutes per batch. Transfer browned lamb to a plate and set aside.

Sweat onions

Lower heat to medium. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 2 tablespoons ghee to the pot. Add the thinly sliced onions and a pinch of salt (about 1/4 tsp). Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are very soft and beginning to caramelize, about 15–18 minutes.

Add garlic and tomato

Stir in the whole garlic cloves and the grated tomato. Cook 3–4 minutes until the tomato has softened and the raw smell is gone.

Toast spices

Add the whole cardamom pods, whole black peppercorns, and bay leaves. Sprinkle in the remaining ground spices: 1/2 tsp cumin, 1 tsp coriander, 1/2 tsp turmeric, and 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Stir and cook 1–2 minutes until fragrant, careful not to burn the spices.

Combine and deglaze

Return the seared lamb to the pot and stir to coat with the onion-spice mixture. Pour in 5 cups hot chicken or lamb stock to deglaze, scraping any browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon.

Stew until tender

Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low, partially cover, and simmer gently until lamb is very tender, about 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes depending on the cut. Skim any excess fat from the surface midway through cooking.

Adjust seasoning

Taste the broth and add remaining 1 teaspoon salt and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon black pepper if needed. Remove and discard bay leaves and whole peppercorns if desired; keep cardamom pods for aroma or remove according to preference.

Rinse and soak rice

While the lamb simmers, rinse the basmati rice under cold water until the water runs mostly clear to remove surface starch. Soak the rice in cold water for 20–30 minutes, then drain thoroughly.

Measure cooking liquid

When the lamb is nearly tender, measure the cooking liquid. For perfectly cooked basmati, use a ratio of roughly 1 part rice to 1.25–1.5 parts flavored broth for this method (adjust to ensure about 4 1/2 to 5 cups of hot liquid remain for 3 cups rice and the braised lamb). If necessary, add hot water or stock to reach 4 1/2–5 cups total hot liquid.

Layer rice and meat

Remove roughly half of the lamb pieces and set aside (these will be used for serving). Stir the meat remaining in the pot so it is evenly distributed. Sprinkle the drained rice evenly over the meat without stirring. Gently press the rice into an even layer.

Add fat and steam

Dot the top of the rice with the remaining 3 tablespoons ghee (melted) distributed in small dollops. Cover the pot tightly with a lid. Increase heat to medium-high until steam begins to escape, then immediately reduce heat to the lowest setting and steam gently for 18–22 minutes, until rice is cooked and fluffy.

Rest

Turn off the heat and let the pot rest, covered, for 10 minutes to allow steam to settle and flavors to meld.

Fluff and combine

Remove the lid and using a fork or wide spoon, gently fluff the rice from the edges, mixing in the meat pieces that were set aside so they are distributed on top.

Garnish

Sprinkle the toasted slivered almonds, toasted pine nuts, chopped parsley, and crispy fried onions evenly over the top. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.

Serving suggestion

Serve hot with a simple cucumber-yogurt salad or a side of spiced pickles. Spoon rice and tender lamb onto plates so each portion gets a mix of rice, broth, and meat. Offer extra lemon wedges for brightness.