No Iraqi wedding or celebration is complete without Quzi. This slow-cooked lamb on a bed of golden rice is the definition of hospitality. Send this to your favorite home cook!
Ingredients:
- 2kg (4.4 lbs) Lamb leg or shoulder 🍖
- 3 cups (600g) Basmati rice 🍚
- 100g (3.5 oz) Vermicelli noodles 🍜
- 1 cup (150g) Toasted almonds and raisins 🍇
- 2 Onions, sliced 🧅
- 1 tbsp (15g) Baharat (Middle Eastern spice mix) ✨
- 1 tsp (5g) Saffron threads soaked in water 🟡
- 2 Cinnamon sticks and 4 Cardamom pods 🪵
- 1 cup (150g) Cooked chickpeas 🧆
Step-by-Step Instructions:
- Rub the lamb with oil, Baharat, salt, and pepper.
- Sear the lamb in a large pot until it is dark brown on all sides.
- Cover with water, add cinnamon and cardamom, and simmer for 3 hours until the meat falls off the bone.
- While the lamb rests, fry the vermicelli in oil until it is golden brown.
- Add the rice to the vermicelli with 4.5 cups of the lamb broth.
- Cook until the rice is fluffy and the water is gone.
- Stir in the saffron water to create beautiful yellow streaks in the rice.
- Top the rice with the tender lamb pieces.
- Garnish heavily with fried onions, chickpeas, raisins, and crunchy almonds.
- Serve on a massive platter for everyone to share.
Secret Tip: Strain the liquid used to boil the lamb and use ONLY that to cook your rice. The flavor depth will be incredible.