Middle Eastern Rice with Ground Lamb

This rice dish can be served with a variety of main dishes it is rich in ingredients and served with roast leg of lamb, roast turkey or simply by itself with some plain yogurt on the side. For Christmas I make it for my family with roast turkey.

Serves 6


2 cups of long grain basmati rice

3 cups of water

1 pound of ground beef or lamb (chopped mushroom for vegetarians)

½ cup vegetable oil

½-teaspoon allspice

1teaspoons salt

½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp saffron (optional)

½ cup of almonds

½ cup halved walnuts

½ cup pine nuts



Wash the almonds and soak in boiling water for three minutes; this makes it easy to remove skin, skip this step if you have them already skinned.

Fry the almonds on low heat in the vegetable oil until golden in color. With a slotted spoon remove almond to a small bowl and set aside. Now fry the pine nuts in the same pot until gold in color. Remove onto a separate bowl and set aside. Then the walnuts, be careful not to over fry them they will burn easily. Remove and put in a separate bowl.

In a large skillet put the ground meat and stir add salt, allspice, cinnamon and saffron and brown on all sides. Wash the rice and drain well add to the ground beef. Add water and simmer for 30 minutes.

Serve on a platter and decorate with the fried nuts. Sahten!