Lamb Ribs or Shoulder with Rice

Ingredients

Meat

• Lamb ribs or shoulder
• Whole five-spice (bay leaf, 2 cinnamon sticks, 5 cardamom pods, 5 cloves, 1 nutmeg)
• 1 onion
• 1/2 head of garlic
• Water for boiling the meat
• Lemon
• 2 tbsp butter
• Salt
• Black pepper

Rice

• 2 cups Abu Bint rice (or American long grain)
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• A squeeze of lemon
• 2 chicken stock cubes
• Almonds and pine nuts
• Raisins, soaked in water

Method

1. Cover the meat with cold water, bring to a boil and skim off the white foam.
2. Add the onion, garlic and whole spices and cook in a pressure cooker for two hours.
3. Place the meat in a tray, rub well with the butter, salt, lemon and black pepper, then roast in the oven with a little of the cooking liquid until browned.
4. Cook the soaked rice in the meat stock, using 1 1/2 cups stock per cup of rice, with salt and a stock cube. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat until the rice is cooked.
5. For sautéed vegetables: briefly boil any vegetables you like, then add butter, salt and pepper and toss on a pan or grill.
6. Garnish the rice with the almonds, pine nuts and raisins.