serves
6
prep
20 minutes
cook
45 minutes
difficulty
Easy
serves
6
people
preparation
20
minutes
cooking
45
minutes
difficulty
Easy
level
Ingredients
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 tsp salt, or to taste
- 500 g chicken breast fillets
- 40 g butter
- 1 brown onion, finely chopped
- 350 g coarse lamb mince
- 300 g (1½ cups) long grain rice, washed and drained
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp Lebanese mixed spices (see Note)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- ½ cup flaked/slivered almonds
- ½ cup pine nuts
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- Lebanese salad, to serve
The following recipe has been tested and edited by SBS Food and may differ slightly from the podcast.
Instructions
Place the cinnamon stick, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 litre (4 cups) water in a medium-size saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat, add the chicken and simmer gently for 7 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave the chicken to poach in the water for a further 7–10 minutes until cooked through. Drain, reserving the stock. When cool enough to handle, coarsely shred the chicken.
Preheat the oven to 180˚C.
To make the rice, place a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the butter and onion and cook for 5 minutes until the onion softens. Add the lamb mince and cook, stirring regularly, for 10 minutes until the lamb just starts to brown. Stir in the rice, black pepper, mixed spices and the remaining teaspoon of salt and cook for 2 minutes, tossing to coat the rice. Add 625 ml (2½ cups) of the reserved chicken stock and bring to the boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 10–12 minutes, until the rice is cooked.
Meanwhile, arrange the pine nuts and almonds on two separate oven trays. Transfer to the oven and cook the almonds for 6–8 minutes and the pine nuts for 3–5 minutes until lightly golden. Set aside.
To serve, place the rice mixture on a serving platter and cover with shredded chicken. Top with almonds and pine nuts and sprinkle over the cinnamon. Serve with salad.
Note
• Lebanese mixed spice is available from Middle Eastern food stores.
Photography by Alan Benson
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
