Hashweh: Lebanese spiced rice with lamb and toasted almonds

A Lebanese celebration rice cooked with lamb mince, cinnamon and allspice, crowned with toasted almonds and served with a cool yoghurt and cucumber salad. Fragrant, mild and loved by children.

Ingredients

• 500 g Lamb mince
• 20 ml Olive oil
• 1 Onions, finely chopped
• 4 g Ground allspice
• 3 g Ground cinnamon
• 2 g Black pepper
• 6 g Salt
• 350 g Basmati rice, rinsed
• 20 g Butter
• 50 g Flaked almonds
• 10 g Fresh parsley, chopped
• 250 g Natural yoghurt
• 1 Cucumber, diced
• 5 g Fresh mint, chopped
• 0.1 Garlic, crushed

Method

1. Heat the oil in a wide, lidded pan and fry the lamb mince over a high heat, breaking it up, until browned. Add the onion and cook until soft.
2. Stir in the allspice, cinnamon, pepper and salt, then the rice, and stir for a minute until every grain is coated.
3. Add 600ml boiling water and the butter, bring to the boil, then cover and cook on the lowest heat until the rice is tender and the water absorbed.
4. Toast the almonds in a dry pan until golden. Keep an eye on them as they burn quickly.
5. Mix the yoghurt with the cucumber, mint, garlic and a pinch of salt.
6. Rest the rice covered off the heat, then fluff it, pile onto a platter and scatter with the almonds and parsley. Serve with the yoghurt salad.