Lebanese Lamb Almond Rice Recipe

Rinse and soak rice

Rinse the basmati rice under cold water until the water runs clear to remove excess starch. Soak the rice in cold water for 20 minutes, then drain thoroughly in a fine-mesh sieve.

Toast nuts

In a large dry skillet over medium heat, add the almonds and toast, stirring frequently, 3–4 minutes until fragrant and golden at the edges. Remove almonds to a bowl. In the same skillet add pine nuts and toast 1–2 minutes until light golden; remove. Quickly toast the pistachios 1 minute until fragrant. Set all nuts aside separately.

Cook rice

In a medium saucepan melt 2 tbs butter with 1 tbs olive oil over medium heat. Add drained rice and gently stir to coat the grains with fat for 1–2 minutes (this helps keep grains separate). Add 3.5 cups water or broth and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low, cover tightly and simmer until tender, about 15–18 minutes. Turn off heat and let rice rest, covered, 10 minutes.

Fluff and mix with nuts

Uncover and use a fork to fluff the rice. Stir in half of the toasted almonds (reserve the rest for topping) and half of the toasted pistachios and 1 tbs of the toasted pine nuts. Cover and keep warm while finishing proteins.

Brown and roast lamb

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Pat the bone-in lamb piece dry and season lightly with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tbs olive oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Sear lamb 3–4 minutes per side until well browned. Remove from heat, transfer skillet (or place lamb on a roasting pan), and roast in the oven until fork-tender and cooked through, about 1 to 1¼ hours depending on size (internal temp ~160°F/71°C for medium). When done, remove lamb to a cutting board, tent with foil and let rest 10 minutes. Reserve any pan juices.

Prepare spiced ground meat

While lamb roasts, heat 1 tbs olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the finely chopped onion and cook 6–8 minutes until soft and beginning to brown. Add minced garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the ground beef or lamb and break up with a spoon. Cook until browned and most moisture evaporates, about 6–8 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and warm water to loosen and incorporate.

Season the meat

Add ground allspice (1 tsp), ground cinnamon (½ tsp), ground cumin (½ tsp), ground coriander (½ tsp), ground black pepper (½ tsp) and 1 tsp salt. Stir well and simmer gently 4–5 minutes so flavors meld and the mixture is fairly dry but moist — not saucy. Taste and adjust salt and spices as needed.

Shred lamb

While the spiced meat finishes, remove bone from the rested lamb and shred or slice the meat into bite-size pieces. If desired, toss shredded lamb with 1–2 tbs reserved pan juices for extra moisture and flavor.

Assemble meat topping

Spread the spiced ground meat over the prepared rice, then arrange shredded lamb on top. Sprinkle the remaining toasted almonds, pistachios and additional toasted pine nuts over the lamb for crunch and presentation. Dot remaining 1 tbs butter over the top if desired or drizzle a little olive oil.

Prepare vegetables

Halve the English cucumber lengthwise and scoop out seeds if very watery; dice into small cubes. If using tomato, dice small. Place vegetables in a bowl.

Dress salad

In a small bowl whisk together 2 tbs lemon juice, 1 tbs olive oil, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp black pepper. Pour dressing over cucumber (and tomato), add chopped mint and toss to combine. Let sit 5 minutes to meld flavors.

Finish

Taste and adjust seasoning. Chill briefly or serve immediately alongside the rice and lamb.

Transfer the rice to a large shallow serving platter or individual plates. Top with the spiced ground meat layer and then the shredded lamb. Scatter remaining toasted almonds, pistachios, and pine nuts on top. Sprinkle chopped parsley across the dish. Serve with cucumber salad on the side. Provide flatbread or lemon wedges if desired.