450 g (1 lb) basmati rice, washed
and drained
3 Tbsp salt + more to taste
6 Tbsp cooking oil
1 large onion, peeled and finely diced
500 g (1 lb 1½ oz) lamb or beef on the
bone, cut into chunks, or 300 g
(10 oz) lamb or beef without bone
1 tsp ground saffron
150 g (51/3 oz) frozen broad (fava)
beans, skins removed and boiled
until cooked and tender
300 g (10 oz) dill, washed, drained
and finely chopped
1 large potato, peeled and thinly
sliced
2 Tbsp butter, melted
Put rice and 2 Tbsp salt in a large bowl. Add enough water to cover, stir
through and leave to soak for at least 30 minutes.
Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a pot. Fry onion over medium-low heat until translucent
and lightly browned.
Add meat and fry until it changes colour, then add saffron and 1.5 litres
(48 fl oz / 6 cups) water. Simmer for about 1 hour until liquid is reduced
to about 500 ml (16 fl oz / 2 cups) and meat is tender, adding salt to taste.
Meanwhile, parboil rice as described on pg 82 and add broad beans
2 minutes before rice is to be removed from heat. Drain using a colander
and mix in dill, then set aside.
Pour remaining oil into a medium-large non-stick pot and swirl to coat
bottom evenly, then line with potato slices.
Spoon in half the rice mixture: keep spooning over the centre so a mound
forms inside the pot and shake the spoon as you go so rice grains are
loosely stacked.
Arrange meat pieces on the top and slopes of rice mound, then
spoon remaining rice over in the same way, maintaining the mound.
Reserve gravy.
Wrap pot’s lid with clean cloth before covering, then set pot over medium-
low heat (with flame tamer) or low heat (without flame tamer) for 1 hour
or until rice is cooked and fluffy.
Dish out and pour butter over evenly, then serve with re-heated gravy
and potato slices (tadig).
Tip: Use dried broad beans if the frozen variety is unavailable, but they
require more work. The dried beans need to be pre-soaked, then boiled
in water until cooked and tender before they can be added to the rice.
Be gentle when placing meat
pieces on the top and slopes of the
rice mound. Do not press down
on the rice as you want the grains
below to be fluffy as well.
Drain parboiled rice and beans
using a colander, then mix in dill.
Remove and discard pale outer
skins of frozen broad beans, then
rinse them clean and set aside.
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