Food Diaries Recipe | 04 Feb 2023 | Recipes: Lebanese Mince Pulao & Lebanese Namoura | Chef Zarnak Sidhwa

Instructions

In a bowl, combine all ground spices.
For the minced meat:
1. In a large skillet over medium high heat, add the olive oil. Once hot, add the diced onions and cook for 3-4 minutes until softened, stirring continuously.
2. Add the crushed garlic, and cook for a further minute or so, then add the minced lamb.
3. Cook for a minute, breaking apart any clumps of meat with a wooden spoon, then add all the spices (seven spice or all spice, cinnamon, salt and black pepper). Continue cooking, a good 6-8 minutes until lamb is all cooked through and brown with no pink bits remaining. Keep stirring and breaking apart clumps of meat through out- you can even use a potato masher to break the meat apart a little.
4. If desired, drain any extra fat. Taste the mince and adjust for seasoning.
For the rice:
1. Soak the basmati rice for 15-20 minutes, then drain and rinse with water until water runs clear.
2. To a large saucepan, add the minced meat (I don’t always use all of it, I usually use around 300 grams or so), plus the drained basmati rice, the frozen peas, and 3.5 cups of water. Sprinkle with a big pinch of salt, pepper, and some additional all spice or seven spices. Stir to combine.
3. Bring the contents of the saucepan to a boil, uncovered, then cover with a tight fitting lid, reduce heat to a low simmer, and simmer for 20 minutes or until water is all absorbed. Remove pan from heat but let it sit covered for an additional 10 minutes, then uncover and fluff with a fork.
4. Garnish with toasted pine nuts/almonds (See notes) and chopped parsley, if desired

Method
Mix semolina with baking powder and baking soda. Mix yogurt, butter, sugar, vanilla essence and coconut. Add the yogurt mixture to the semolina. Mix until combined. Spread the batter in a greased 8×8 dish or pan, score into squares. Add one almond in the center of each square. Bake at 185 degrees C for 45 minutes.
Mix syrup ingredients and stir over medium heat until the sugar dissolves. Boil for 15 minutes, or until thickened. The syrup will thicken further as it cools. Remove the cake from the oven once browned; cut it into squares. Drizzle the cake with the syrup. The syrup will soak in as the cake cools.