Iraqi Quzi

Whole spiced lamb over saffron rice with nuts and raisins.

Ingredients

• 1.5 kg Lamb shoulder
• 3 cups Basmati rice
• 2 Onions
• 3 tbsp Baharat spice mix
• 6 Cardamom pods
• 2 Cinnamon stick
• 2 Bay leaves
• 1 pinch Saffron
• ½ cup Almonds
• ½ cup Raisins
• 5 tbsp Ghee
• 2 tbsp Salt
• 8 cups Water

Method

1. Boil the lamb — Simmer the lamb with onion, whole spices and salt for 2 hours until it falls from the bone; keep the broth.
2. Roast — Rub the lamb with baharat and ghee and roast at 220°C for 25 minutes until browned.
3. Cook the rice — Steam the soaked rice in the strained broth with saffron for 20 minutes.
4. Fry the garnish — Toast the almonds and raisins in ghee until the raisins plump.
5. Quzi is ready — Pile the rice on a platter, set the lamb on top, and scatter with nuts and raisins.

More Iraq recipes

• Masgouf
• Dolma