450 g (1 lb) basmati rice, washed
and drained
2 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 ribs
1 tsp ground saffron
200 g (7 oz) French breans,
ends trimmed and cut into 2.5-cm
(1-in) lengths
2 Tbsp tomato paste
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 stew pan. Fry onion over medium-low heat until
translucent and lightly browned.
Add ribs and saffron. Fry for 5 minutes or until meat changes colour,
then add beans, tomato paste and salt to taste. Stir until well-mixed.
Pour in 500 ml (24 fl oz / 3 cups) water and simmer for about 1 hour or
until liquid is reduced by half and meat is tender, adding salt to taste.
Meanwhile, parboil rice as described on pg 82.
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: 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
half the gravy with beans all over.
Spoon remaining rice, then gravy, over in the same way, maintaining
the mound.
Wrap pot’s lid with a clean cloth before covering, then set pot over
medium-low heat (with flame tamer) or low heat (without flame tamer)
for about 1 hour or until rice is cooked and fluffy.
Dish out and pour butter over evenly before serving with potato slices
(tadig) on the side.
Tip: To shorten cooking time, replace ribs with 400 g (131/2 oz) minced
lamb or beef. To assemble, first divide rice and meat mixture into 2 equal
portions each, then spoon into pot, as described, to form a mound of
alternating layers.
Wash and drain French beans,
then trim off ends. Remove
strings if desired, but this is not
necessary. Cut beans into 2.5-cm
(1-in) lengths.
Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a stew pan over
medium-low heat and fry finely
diced onion until lightly browned
and translucent.
Spoon the gravy with beans
liberally over the rice; it should
cover the mound like a blanket.
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