Entree: Kuwait – مماوش ➤ Mumawwash (Kuwaiti spiced lamb and rice one-pot finished with toasted nuts and raisins)

Serving Size: 4

Approximate Time

Prep 25 min

Cook 1 hr 25 min

Additional 10 min

Total 2 hrs

Ingredients

- 1.5 lb (680 g) lamb shoulder, cut into 1–1.5 in (2.5–3.8 cm) pieces
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
- 3 tbsp (45 g) ghee or clarified butter
- 2 large onions, thinly sliced (about 10 oz / 300 g)
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tsp (8 g) ground baharat or Arabic seven-spice blend
- 1 tsp (3 g) ground turmeric
- 1/2 tsp (1 g) ground black pepper
- 1 tsp (6 g) salt, plus more to taste
- 2 tbsp (30 g) tomato paste
- 2 medium tomatoes, chopped (about 10 oz / 280 g)
- 2 dried limes (loomi), pierced several times with a knife
- 3 cups (720 ml) lamb or chicken stock
- 2 cups (370 g) basmati rice, rinsed until water runs clear
- Pinch of saffron soaked in 2 tbsp (30 ml) warm water (optional)
- 1/3 cup (80 g) golden raisins
- 1/3 cup (40 g) slivered almonds
- 1/4 cup (30 g) pine nuts
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice
- Fresh cilantro or parsley for garnish (optional)

Instructions

1. Season the lamb with 1 tsp salt, baharat, turmeric, and black pepper. Heat vegetable oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat and brown lamb on all sides, about 6–8 minutes; remove and set aside.
2. In the same pot, melt ghee and sauté sliced onions until deep golden, about 12–15 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute more.
3. Stir in tomato paste and chopped tomatoes, cook 3–4 minutes until softened. Return lamb to pot, add pierced dried limes, and pour in stock. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook gently until lamb is tender, about 45–60 minutes.
4. While lamb cooks, toast almonds and pine nuts in a dry skillet over medium heat until golden; set aside. Soak saffron if using and reheat raisins in a little hot water briefly, then drain.
5. When lamb is tender, remove dried limes and fish out a few pieces of lamb to shred; leave the rest whole. Measure cooking liquid — you want about 3 1/4 cups (770 ml) of liquid for the rice (add stock if needed). Stir in lemon juice.
6. Spread the rinsed rice evenly over the simmered meat in the pot without stirring. Gently pour saffron water over the rice (optional). Cover tightly, reduce heat to very low, and steam until rice is cooked and liquid absorbed, 18–22 minutes.
7. Turn off heat and let rest, covered, 10 minutes. Gently fluff rice and meat together, then top with toasted almonds, pine nuts, and raisins. Garnish with cilantro or parsley and serve hot.