Machbous (مجبوس)

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg lamb shoulder or bone-in chicken pieces, cut into large portions
• 400 g basmati rice, rinsed and soaked 30 minutes
• 3 loomi (dried black limes), pierced several times with a skewer
• 2 tbsp baharat, blend of black pepper, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, clove, cardamom, and dried lime powder
• 1 pinch saffron, steeped in 3 tbsp hot water
• 2 tbsp rose water
• 2 medium onions, finely sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 3 tbsp neutral oil or ghee
• 1.2 litres water, for braising
• 1 tsp salt, or to taste
• To serve
• dakoos (spiced tomato sauce), as condiment
• laban (yogurt drink), alongside
• fresh tomato and cucumber salad, alongside

Method

1. 1
   Pat the meat dry. Heat the oil or ghee in a heavy-based pot over high heat. Brown the lamb or chicken in batches, turning to build a deep Maillard crust on all sides. Remove the meat and set aside. The crust formed here is the flavour foundation of the entire broth; undone, it cannot be recovered.
2. 2
   Reduce the heat to medium. In the same pot, fry the sliced onions until golden. Add the crushed garlic and chopped tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes collapse and the fat begins to separate from the paste.
3. 3
   Return the meat to the pot. Add the baharat, the pierced loomi, and enough water to cover — approximately 1.2 litres. Season with salt. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a steady simmer. Braise, partially covered, until the meat is tender and the broth is deeply fragrant — approximately 45 minutes for chicken, 75 minutes for lamb.
4. 4
   Lift the meat from the pot and set it aside. Strain the broth, discarding the solids and the loomi. Measure the strained broth; you need approximately 750 ml to cook 400 g rice (a ratio of roughly 1 : 1.75 rice to liquid). Return the measured broth to the pot and bring it to a simmer.
5. 5
   Drain the soaked basmati and add it to the simmering broth. Stir once, then place the reserved meat pieces on top of the rice. Cover tightly, reduce the heat to low, and cook until the rice has absorbed the broth and the grains are almost tender — approximately 20 minutes. The surface of the rice will appear dry and small steam holes will have opened across it.
6. 6
   Uncover briefly and spoon the saffron water and rose water evenly over the surface of the rice. Replace the lid immediately. Cook for a further 5 minutes on the lowest possible heat. The saffron's colour will bloom in streaks across the white grains.
7. 7
   Remove the pot from the heat entirely. Leave undisturbed, lid on, for 10 minutes. The steam-rest allows the grains to separate and absorb any remaining moisture. When the lid is lifted, the rice should be dry, grain-distinct, and golden-streaked.
8. 8
   Transfer the rice to a large serving platter. Arrange the meat on top. Serve with dakoos, the tomato-cucumber salad, and laban alongside.