Quzi

★★★★4.9· 312 ratings

·Serves 8

About this Dish

Iraq's great celebration dish — a whole slow-roasted lamb served over a mound of saffron rice with dried fruits, nuts and caramelised onions. The lamb is marinated in warm spices and slow-cooked for hours until completely tender. Served at weddings, Eid celebrations and important gatherings. The rice absorbs the lamb juices during cooking, becoming the most flavourful part of the dish.

IngredientsServes 8

🐑Whole leg of lamb or shoulder, 2–2.5kg, bone-in

🧅Large onions, 3, thinly sliced

🌾Basmati rice, 500g, soaked for 30 minutes

🧈Ghee or butter, 4 tablespoons

🌿Baharat spice mix, 2 tablespoons (or mix cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cardamom, black pepper)

🟡Saffron, a generous pinch, dissolved in 3 tablespoons of warm water

🍇Raisins or sultanas, 100g

🌰Blanched almonds and pistachios, 80g mixed

🍅Tomato paste, 2 tablespoons

🧄Garlic cloves, 6, crushed

Method

Mix the baharat spice mix with crushed garlic, tomato paste, 2 tablespoons of ghee, salt and pepper to form a marinade paste. Score the lamb all over deeply with a knife and rub the marinade thoroughly into every cut and over the surface. Cover and leave to marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.

Preheat your oven to 160°C. Place the lamb in a large deep roasting tin, add 500ml of water to the bottom of the tin, cover tightly with two layers of foil and slow-roast for 3.5 to 4 hours until the meat is completely falling off the bone and the juices run deep brown.

While the lamb rests, fry the sliced onions in the remaining ghee in a large heavy pot over medium-low heat for 25–30 minutes, stirring regularly, until they turn deep golden and caramelised. Add the raisins and half the nuts, stir for 2 minutes, then remove half this mixture and set aside for garnishing.

Drain the soaked rice and add it to the pot with the onions. Pour in 800ml of hot water or light lamb stock, add the saffron water, season generously with salt, and stir once to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce to the lowest heat, cover tightly and cook for 18–20 minutes until the rice is fluffy and has absorbed all the liquid.

Toast the remaining almonds and pistachios in a dry pan until golden, then set aside. Carefully transfer the rice onto a large serving platter, mounding it high in the centre.

Lay the whole slow-roasted lamb on top of the rice mound. Spoon the reserved caramelised onion and raisin mixture over the top, then scatter the toasted nuts generously over everything. Serve immediately straight from the platter for the full celebration experience.

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