Arabic rice dish Kabse

Ingredients for 8 servings:

• 4 onions
• 8 tomatoes
• 3 garlic cloves
• 4 lemons, dried brown (oriental store)
• 1 pack almonds, whole
• 1 pack of pine nuts
• 1 Pepper
• 1 kg rice, parboiled
• 1 tsp saffron
• Salt
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• ½ tsp white pepper
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1 tbsp, leveled caraway powder
• 3 cubes of meat broth or chicken broth
• 1 tbsp, sautéed cardamom, ground
• 2 kg lamb or chicken
• olive oil

Instructions

Working time approx. 1 hour; Total time approx. 1 hour

Cook lamb or chicken in a pressure cooker with water and stock cubes (1 hour for chicken, 2 to 3 hours for lamb). Wash the rice a couple of times, then let it stand in warm water for 30 minutes, add the saffron, and stir. Blanch the tomatoes first, then rinse with cold water and peel off the skin. Chop them into the smallest possible cubes. Also chop the onions very finely. In a heavy pot (preferably cast iron), fry the onions in oil until slightly translucent, then add the tomatoes, frying but not letting all of them evaporate; there must still be some tomato juice. Add the dried lemons, all the remaining spices, and the hot chili pepper and let everything simmer for about 4 minutes, then remove from the heat. Drain the rice and then wait until the meat is cooked. When the meat is done, reserve the stock! Now put the pot back on the stove and add the rice. Stir gently and pour in enough stock to completely cover the rice and ensure the broth is about 1 cm above the surface of the rice. Bring to a boil, then simmer over moderate to low heat for about 30 minutes to 45 minutes. Season the meat and fry it briefly on all sides in oil. Add the almonds to a small pot of water, bring to a boil, then refresh and peel off the skins. Fry in a small pan with olive oil until golden brown. Then briefly toast the pine nuts. When the rice dish is ready, tip everything out onto a large serving platter and arrange the nuts and meat on top. Serve with finely chopped tomatoes and cucumbers with olive oil, salt, lemon, and yogurt. Get most of the ingredients from an oriental store; they are cheaper and you can get the original product.