Bekaa BBQ Rice

Rice cooked in lamb broth over an open wood fire at outdoor Bekaa gatherings. The wood smoke penetrates the cooking pot and gives the rice a faint, unforgettable char-and-resin quality that no stovetop can reproduce.

Ingredients

• 600 g Egyptian short-grain rice
• 1.2 liters rich lamb broth
• 400 g lamb shoulder, diced
• 4 tbsp ghee
• 2 medium yellow onion
• 2 tsp seven-spice blend (baharat)
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 60 g toasted almonds
• 40 g toasted pine nuts
• 1 small bunch fresh parsley

Method

1. Soak the rice in cold salted water for 30 minutes, then drain.
2. Brown the diced lamb in ghee over high heat until deeply caramelized on all sides. Remove and set aside.
3. In the same pan, fry the sliced onions in the remaining ghee until dark golden-brown and sweet. Remove half and reserve for garnish.
4. Add the spices to the onions in the pot and stir for 30 seconds. Add the lamb back in.
5. Add the drained rice and stir to coat each grain in the fat and spices.
6. Pour in the hot lamb broth. The ratio is 1:1.8 rice to liquid for this method. Season with salt.
7. Bring to a boil, then cover tightly and reduce heat to the lowest possible setting. Cook 20 minutes without lifting the lid.
8. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, for 10 minutes.
9. Fluff with a fork, transfer to a large platter, and top with the reserved caramelized onions, toasted nuts, and torn parsley.

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