AYSH WA LAHM
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
The first time I went to the United Arab Emirates, I had the incredible fortune of being invited on a culinary tour by Sheikha Bodour Al-Qasimi, the ruler’s daughter. It all happened by chance. I had tweeted that I was on my way there, and Sheikha Bodour tweeted back offering to introduce me to her country’s culinary riches. I was thrilled, as I knew very little about Emirati food. The only Gulf country I was familiar with was Kuwait and I knew that the food there was quite different. Sheikha Bodour organized amazing meals, as well as a cookery demonstration at Sharjah’s Heritage Center that was followed by a lunch at which I tried many dishes, including the one below, which can be considered one of their most festive dishes. We had it with a whole baby goat, but I adapted the recipe and scaled it down to four lamb shanks. If you want to make it with a baby goat, simply double the quantities.
SERVES 4 TO 6
4 lamb shanks (3 pounds 5 ounces/1.5 kg total)
1 large onion (7 ounces/200 g), quartered
4 dried golden limes, pierced with a sharp knife in several places
2 cinnamon sticks
6 green cardamom pods
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon b’zar (Arabian Spice Mixture)
1 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
Good pinch of saffron threads
Sea salt
4 cups (800 g) long-grain rice, rinsed under cold water, soaked for 30 minutes in lightly salted water
FOR THE GARNISH
¼ cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
4 medium onions (1 pound 5 ounces/600 g total), finely chopped
Good pinch of saffron threads
⅔ cup (100 g) golden raisins, soaked for 2 hours in cold water
½ teaspoon ground dried lime
½ teaspoon ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup (200 g) dried chickpeas, soaked overnight in plenty of water with ½ teaspoon baking soda, rinsed, drained, and cooked until tender but not falling apart
1. Put the lamb shanks in a large pot, cover well with water, and bring to a boil over medium heat, skimming the froth from the surface. Add the onion, dried limes, whole spices, ground spices, saffron, and salt to taste, being careful not to oversalt as you will eventually be cooking the rice in the broth. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium-low, and let simmer for 1½ to 2 hours, or until the lamb is very tender. Remove the meat from the broth and arrange on a baking dish (you will eventually be roasting it in the oven to color and crisp it up).
2. Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C).
3. Drain the rice and put it in a clean pot. Strain the cooking broth of the meat and measure out 5¼ cups (1.25 liters). Add to the rice and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and cook for 10 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Take it off the heat. Wrap the lid with a clean kitchen towel and replace over the pot.
4. Place the meat in the hot oven for 15 to 20 minutes to color and crisp it up.
5. Meanwhile, make the garnish: Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté for a few minutes, then add 1 tablespoon water and the saffron threads. Sauté for 5 more minutes, then add another 1 tablespoon water. Repeat twice more at 5-minute intervals, stirring regularly so that the onion colors evenly, until the onion is golden. Add the raisins and ground spices and continue sautéing until the onion is golden brown, 5 more minutes. Add the cooked chickpeas and stir until the chickpeas are hot and well blended with the other ingredients. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary, then take off the heat.
6. Transfer the rice to a serving platter. Place the roasted meat over the rice then spoon the garnish all over and serve hot.