Jordanian-style cauliflower and lamb casserole
Photo by Wai Lin Coulta
Jordanian lamb casserole is a one-pot rice meal for a casual dinner.
By Wai Lin Coultas
MAKLOUBAS IS a muchloved, traditional Palestinian dish often only prepared for Eid, Ramadan and family birthdays. Numerous culinary twists never stray from the nutritious harmony of rice, meat and stir-fried vegetables, garnished with nuts, parsley and Greek yoghurt. Serve this casserole with Greek yoghurt or with a raita celebrating mint’s time-honoured pairing with lamb and the Middle East’s fondness for fruit in a savoury dish. Perfect as a hearty yet light, one-pot rice meal when close friends come for a causal autumn dinner.
Ingredients
400g boneless leg of lamb, cut into 2cm cubes
40g cup mushrooms, sliced
1 large onion, peeled and segmented into 6 pieces
1 large red capsicum, cored, deseeded and squarely sectioned
1 head garlic, peeled and minced
2/3 head cauliflower, cut to medium-sized florets
25g pine nuts, dry toasted
35g roasted hazelnuts
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
2 bay leaves
4 cups seasoned beef stock
1 1/4 cup Basmati rice salt cracked black pepper canola oil water
4 sprig tips fresh curly parsley For raita (optional)
6 tbsp vanilla yoghurt
1 lemon, juiced
1 handful fresh mint leaves, chopped
25g dried cranberries, chopped
Method
In a cast iron pot, brown lamb in batches in heated oil. Repeat for mushrooms, then onions. Set each aside.
In the same pot, lightly brown the capsicum then add the garlic and stir fry until fragrant. Return the lamb, mushrooms and onions to pot, stir in spices and bay leaves
Add 2 1/4 cups of stock to pot and season.
Cover, bring to boil and then simmer for 1 hour till lamb is tender. Discard bay leaves and set stew aside.
Fry cauliflower florets, in batches, in heated oil and a splash of water until slightly browned. Set aside. Cover the bottom of an ovenproof dish with 1/2 cup rice. Layer the browned cauliflower over the top and then cover with stew.
Layer 3/4 cup rice on top and then pour 1 3/4 cups of stock over the dish.
Steam in an oven until the stock has all been absorbed and the rice is fluffy and cooked through (60 minutes in a steam oven preheated to 170C).
To plate 1 individual serve, garnish 1/4 casserole with 1/4 nuts and 1 parsley sprig tip, with raita on the side. Serves 4
