Qidreh

Ingredients

Meat

• 1.5 kglamb shoulder or shank, on the bone
• 1onion
• 2cinnamon sticks
• 6cardamom pods
• 2bay leaves
• 1 tbspallspice berries
• salt

Rice

• 800 gbasmati or Egyptian rice
• 1 tbspsalt

The garlic

• 3whole heads of garlic, cloves peeled but left whole

Spice

• 3 tbspqidreh spice, or a mix of allspice, cumin, cinnamon, cardamom and turmeric
• 1 tspblack pepper
• a good pinch of saffron

Also

• 150 gsamneh, or ghee
• 150 gchickpeas, cooked
• 50 gwhole almonds, fried

To serve

• yoghurt
• a chopped salad
• the copper qidreh pot, if you have one

Directions

1. Wash the rice until the water runs clear, then soak it in salted water for 2 hours. Simmer the lamb with the onion, cinnamon, cardamom, bay and allspice for about an hour and a half until nearly tender.
2. Skim the broth carefully, because it goes into the rice and every fault carries through. Lift the meat out and strain the broth, then measure it out for the rice. The whole dish turns on the ratio and a splash too much gives a sodden pot.
3. Peel the garlic cloves and leave every one whole. Do not chop or crush the garlic. Melt the samneh in the bottom of the pot. Put the lamb pieces in the base, then scatter over the garlic cloves, chickpeas and the ground spices. Drain the rice and spread it over the top in an even layer.
4. Layer it and do not stir it. The rice steams above the meat and takes up its fat and juices, which is why qidreh tastes different from a rice cooked with meat mixed through. Pour the measured hot broth gently down the side of the pot. Pour it down the side rather than over the rice, so the layers stay where they are.
5. Sprinkle the saffron liquid over the surface. Sealing the lid with dough is the traditional step and it matters, because the dish cooks entirely in trapped steam. Bake at 180°C (355°F) for 45 minutes to an hour, or cook on the lowest possible heat on the hob. Do not open it during cooking.
6. Rest it 15 minutes off the heat, still sealed. Now the serving, which is done by inverting the whole pot onto a large platter. Turn it out in one confident movement so the meat ends up on top of a mound of rice.
7. Scatter the fried almonds generously over the top. Serve with yoghurt and a sharp chopped salad, and eat from the shared platter.

Technique

• Qidreh spice mixes are sold ready-blended in Palestinian shops.
• The copper pot is unlined on the outside and tinned within, and it conducts heat evenly in a bread oven.
• It reheats well, covered, in a low oven.

Substitutions

• Any heavy lidded casserole in place of a copper qidreh.
• Ghee or clarified butter in place of samneh.

Variations

• Made with chicken, which cooks faster.
• With more chickpeas and less meat.
• Maqluba, the layered vegetable version.

History

Hebron rice and lamb cooked in a sealed copper pot in the wood-fired oven of the neighbourhood bakery.

Frequently asked questions

What is Qidreh?

Qidreh is a main from Palestine: hebron rice and lamb with whole garlic, baked in copper pots. Hebron rice and lamb cooked in a sealed copper pot in the wood-fired oven of the neighbourhood bakery.

How long does Qidreh take to make?

Qidreh takes 40 min plus 2 hr soaking of preparation and 2 hr 30 min of cooking. The recipe makes 8 servings. It is rated medium to make.

What can I substitute in Qidreh?

Yes, within limits. Any heavy lidded casserole in place of a copper qidreh. Ghee or clarified butter in place of samneh.

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

Skim the broth carefully, because it goes into the rice and every fault carries through. Lift the meat out and strain the broth, then measure it out for the rice. The whole dish turns on the ratio and a splash too much gives a sodden pot.