Quzi

Ingredients

Lamb

• 1whole lamb shoulder or leg, about 3 kg, or a whole small lamb

Marinade

• 3 tbspbaharat or Iraqi seven spice
• 2 tbspground turmeric
• 1 tbspground cardamom
• 1 tbspblack pepper
• 2 tbspsalt
• 6 clovesgarlic, crushed
• 200 gyoghurt
• juice of 2 lemons

Rice

• 1 kgbasmati rice
• 2onions, chopped
• 150 gghee
• 2 tbspbaharat
• 1 tspturmeric
• a good pinch of saffron
• 2dried limes, pierced
• 2cinnamon sticks

To finish

• 150 galmonds, fried
• 100 gpine nuts, fried
• 150 graisins or sultanas
• chopped parsley

To serve

• yoghurt
• a chopped salad
• flatbread

Directions

1. Mix all the marinade ingredients into a thick paste. Score the lamb deeply, right down to the bone in several places. Score it deeply and rub the marinade into the cuts.
2. Rub the paste all over and into every cut, then marinate overnight in the fridge. Take it out an hour before cooking. Set the lamb on a rack in a deep roasting tin and pour water into the tin to a depth of 2 cm. Cover the whole tin tightly with two layers of foil, sealing it at the edges. The lamb steams in its own moisture for hours, which is what makes it fall from the bone.
3. Cook at 150°C (300°F) for 3 hours 30 minutes to 4 hours. Do not open it during that time. Baste it with the pan juices two or three times as it browns. Wash the rice until the water runs clear, then soak it 30 minutes and drain.
4. Fry the onions in ghee until deep golden, then add the baharat, turmeric, cinnamon and pierced dried limes. Pierce the dried limes two or three times, because whole and unpierced they contribute almost nothing. Add the drained rice and turn it in the spiced ghee for 2 minutes. Toasting the rice in the fat before the liquid goes in helps the grains stay separate.
5. Add measured hot stock, ideally strained from the lamb pan juices, and check the salt in the liquid. Use the lamb juices in the rice. Bring it to a boil, then cover tightly and cook on the lowest heat for 20 minutes.
6. Sprinkle the saffron liquid over the surface before covering it. Do not lift the lid for those 20 minutes. Fry each nut separately, because almonds and pine nuts colour at completely different rates.
7. Rest the rice 10 minutes, then fork it through gently. Scatter the remaining nuts, raisins and parsley over. Serve with yoghurt, a chopped salad and flatbread, and eat from the shared platter with the right hand.

Technique

• In the Levant, ouzi refers to a small filo parcel of spiced rice and meat, which is a different and much smaller dish.
• The whole-lamb version is cooked in a tannour or a commercial oven and is ordered from a caterer.
• It reheats well, covered, and the leftovers are excellent.

Substitutions

• Lamb shoulder alone, which is more forgiving than leg.
• A ready-made Iraqi or Gulf baharat blend.

Variations

• Cooked with the rice stuffed inside the lamb cavity.
• Made with a whole young lamb for a large gathering.
• Ouzi, the Levantine filo parcel version.

History

Whole lamb slow-cooked and laid on spiced rice with nuts and raisins for weddings and feasts.

Frequently asked questions

What is Quzi?

Quzi is a main from Iraq: whole roasted lamb over spiced rice with nuts and raisins. Whole lamb slow-cooked and laid on spiced rice with nuts and raisins for weddings and feasts.

How long does Quzi take to make?

Quzi takes 40 min plus overnight marinating of preparation and 4 hr of cooking. The recipe makes 10 servings. It is rated hard to make.

What can I substitute in Quzi?

Yes, within limits. Lamb shoulder alone, which is more forgiving than leg. A ready-made Iraqi or Gulf baharat blend.

What is the most important thing to get right in Quzi?

Rub the paste all over and into every cut, then marinate overnight in the fridge. Take it out an hour before cooking. Set the lamb on a rack in a deep roasting tin and pour water into the tin to a depth of 2 cm. Cover the whole tin tightly with two layers of foil, sealing it at the edges. The lamb steams in its own moisture for hours, which is what makes it fall from the bone.