← Nouns Cooking · Lebanese & Turkish

Ingredients

• 450 g Basmati rice, rinsed until the water runs clear
• 2 tbsp salt, for the rice water
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves Garlic, crushed
• 450 g beef or lamb mince
• 1 tsp Ground turmeric
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp Tomato purée (paste)
• 450 g Green beans, cut into 1 cm pieces
• 150 ml Water
• 1 tsp salt, for the beef
• ½ tsp Black pepper
• ¼ tsp saffron threads, ground and steeped in 3 tbsp hot water
• 4 tbsp neutral oil, for the pot

Method

1. Soak the rinsed rice in cold water for 30 min. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat and cook the onion for 8 min until golden.
2. Add the garlic and mince and brown for 6–8 min, breaking it up. Stir in the turmeric, cinnamon and tomato paste for 1 minute, then add the beans, water, salt and pepper. Simmer for 10–12 min until the beans are just tender and the liquid has mostly gone.
3. Bring a big pot of water to the boil with the 2 tbsp salt. Add the drained rice and boil for 6–7 min, until the grains are soft outside but still firm in the middle. Drain and rinse with lukewarm water.
4. Wipe out the pot, add the neutral oil and set it over medium heat. Layer the rice and beef mixture in a mound, starting and finishing with rice. Poke 5 holes to the bottom with a spoon handle and drizzle over the saffron water.
5. Wrap the lid in a clean tea towel and cover tightly. Cook on medium heat for 10 min until you hear a strong sizzle, then on the lowest heat for 45 min.
6. Spoon the rice onto a platter and break the golden crust from the bottom into pieces to serve on top.

Tips

• A non-stick pot makes releasing the crust much easier.
• Serve with plain yogurt or Shirazi salad to cut through the richness.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

The Mediterranean Dish Unicorns in the Kitchen Cooking with Ayeh