Turkish lamb pilau

Name: Turkish lamb pilau
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 120 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients: Handful Pine Nuts; 1 tablespoon Olive Oil; 1 Large Chopped Onion; 2 Cinnamon; 500g Lamb; 250g Basmati Rice; 1 Lamb Stock Cube; 12 Dried Apricots; Handful Mint

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Serves 4 576 kcal per serving Prep 30 min Cook 1 h 30 min

Ingredients

Handful Pine Nuts
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Large Chopped Onion
2 Cinnamon
500g Lamb
250g Basmati Rice
1 Lamb Stock Cube
12 Dried Apricots
Handful Mint

Instructions

Toast the pine nuts (or almonds) in a dry pan over medium heat until lightly golden, stirring constantly. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Add the olive oil to the same pan, then cook the chopped onion with the cinnamon sticks until the onion softens and begins to turn golden. Increase the heat, add the lamb, and fry until the meat changes colour on all sides.
Stir in the basmati rice and cook for about 1 minute, mixing continuously so the grains are well coated with the oil and spices.
Pour in 500 ml boiling water, crumble in the stock cube, add the dried apricots, and season to taste. Reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for about 12 minutes, until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed.
Gently fold in the toasted pine nuts and chopped mint, then serve hot.

Tips

Sauté the rice in butter or oil for a few minutes before adding the liquid to ensure the grains stay separate and fluffy.
Use a tight-fitting lid and place a clean tea towel under the lid during the final rest to absorb excess steam.
Brown the lamb chunks deeply before adding the rice to create a savory base of ‘fond’ in the pot.

Variations

Nutty Pilau: Add toasted pine nuts or slivered almonds at the end for extra texture.
Fruity Pilau: Stir in some dried currants or barberries for a sweet-tart contrast to the savory lamb.