Lamb Pilau Rice

A lovely aromatic and fruity rice dish featuring lamb cubes combined with onion, ground paprika, cinnamon, stock, pilau rice, freshly chopped apricots and freshly chopped coriander to finish.

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cook Time: 2 hours

Serves: 4 people

Ingredients

  • 450g lean lamb cubes (neck fillet, shoulder or leg)
  • 1 tablespoon rapeseed or sunflower oil
  • 1 onion, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 2 teaspoons ground paprika
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 600ml good, hot vegetable stock or water
  • 2 x 150g packs flavoured pilau or savoury rice of your choice
  • 50g dried apricots, chopped
  • Handful freshly chopped coriander
  • Lemon wedges, to serve

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, 160°C Fan, Gas Mark 4.
  2. Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan, season and cook the lamb for 6-8 minutes until golden brown.  Spoon into a large flame/ovenproof dish.
  3. Add the onions to the same frying pan with the ground paprika cook for 3-4 minutes until soft then spoon into the dish with the lamb.  Add the cinnamon stick and stock.
  4. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover and cook for 1-1½hours in the oven.
  5. Stir in the rice, cover and return to the oven for a further 20 minutes until all the liquid has been absorbed.
  6. Remove from the oven, discard the cinnamon stick, stir in the apricots and chopped coriander and serve immediately.
  7. Serve the pilau with lemon wedges.

Tips:

The pilau can be cooked on the hob too. If you prefer, replace the packs of pilau rice with couscous.