Lamb rice pilaf with nuts and yoghurt

Name: Lamb rice pilaf with nuts and yoghurt
Cook time: 1 h
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 2 tbsp olive oil; 1 onion, halved and finely sliced; 300g minced lamb; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 tsp ground ginger; 1 tsp ground allspice; pinch of dried chilli; sea salt and pepper; 200g basmati rice, rinsed; 100g sultanas or raisins; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 400ml water; 100g mixed walnuts, pistachios and pine nuts; 2 tbsp finely chopped dill, plus 1 tbsp sprigs; 150g natural yoghurt

Jill Dupleix

June 17, 2022

Lamb pilaf with dill yoghurt.Marina Oliphant

Time:30 mins - 1 hourServes:4

A little Moroccan, a little Turkish, a little Lebanese, and a lot hearty, delicious and filling.

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, halved and finely sliced
300g minced lamb
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground allspice
pinch of dried chilli
sea salt and pepper
200g basmati rice, rinsed
100g sultanas or raisins
2 tbsp tomato paste
400ml water
100g mixed walnuts, pistachios and pine nuts
2 tbsp finely chopped dill, plus 1 tbsp sprigs
150g natural yoghurt

Method

Heat oil in a deep saucepan and cook onion until golden. Add minced lamb, cinnamon, ginger, allspice and chilli and cook until lamb changes colour, about four minutes. Drain off any excess oil.
Season lamb generously with sea salt and pepper. Add rice, sultanas, tomato paste and water to the pot and bring to the boil, stirring.
Cover tightly and simmer on the lowest heat for 18 minutes.
Turn off the heat and leave for 10 minutes.
Toast the nuts in a dry frypan. Mix chopped dill into the yoghurt.
Fluff the rice pilaf with a fork and serve on warm plates, topped with dill yoghurt, dill sprigs and nuts.