
Flavors: Lamb and Egyptian Rice With Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Peas/Green Fava Beans
Lamb and Egyptian Rice With Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Peas/Green Fava Beans
When we were young, this dish was always present, since it didn’t take too long to make.
I have included two versions here, since you can literally swap the peas for the beans if you like. Ruz wa bazela, how we know it in Palestine, was a childhood favorite of mine and still is. I love the meat-and-rice mixture with the spices and the peas, served with buttered pine nuts. We prefer the peas, but my mama loves the ful (fava beans). Try both and decide which is your favorite.
If using frozen fava beans, boil them in water for 25 minutes and drain.
Heat the oil in a pan, add the ground lamb and cook for 5 minutes to brown. Add the salt, pepper and rice; stir to combine. Add the cinnamon and nutmeg and stir again. Add the water, bring to a boil and add the frozen peas or cooked fava beans. Cook, covered, over medium-low heat for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a separate pan, melt the butter and fry the pine nuts until golden. Keep a close eye on them, since they burn easily. Set aside.
Spoon the rice into serving dishes, add the buttered pine nuts and serve with the yogurt dip on the side.
Reprinted with permission from Baladi Palestine,
Joudie Kalla, 2019, Interlink Books, 978-1-62371-981-4, $35 hb, www.interlinkbooks.com.

You may also be interested in...
Bengali Snack: Potato Chops Recipe
Food
The Bengalis are famous for their “chops,” or potato croquets eaten as snacks with tea.Recipe for Protein Balls With Dates and Nuts
Food
Al-Baghdadi wrote his hit medieval cookbook Kitab al-Tabikh (Book of Dishes) in 1226 CE at the height of Abbasid sophistication and power. It included this recipe for hais or date sweetmeats.Muhalbiyat Al-Sagoo: A Fresh Spin on Sago and Lychee Pudding
Food
Obtained from the trunks of various palms, sago is used across Asia as a thickener for soups and stews and to make pudding. You can substitute other soft, sweet fruit like plums or pineapple, but the sweet juice of the lychee blends very well with milk. This is an exotic take on the traditional sago pudding popular in Gulf cuisine, made with sago, sugar and spices.