Muamar with homemade vegetable stock

👨‍🍳 Method

For the Meat Browned in the Rice Pot

1. 1
   Rinse the rice in cold water until the water runs clear and drain.

   Colander

   💡Rinsing removes the starch from the surface of the grains: the rice comes out fluffy and separate, not sticky.
2. 2
   Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium heat.

   StovePot
3. 3
   Add the onion and fry 5–8 minutes, stirring now and then, until the onion is soft and translucent and starts to turn golden at the edges. If it browns too fast, lower the heat.

   Stove

   💡Add by cooking time: what needs long (onion, carrot, meat) goes in first, and what burns fast (garlic, dry spices) goes in last, only until fragrant.
4. 4
   Add the garlic and fry about 30 seconds to 1 minute, just until fragrant. Don't let the garlic brown.

   Stove

   💡Garlic burns quickly and turns bitter. Add it only after the onion has softened, over medium heat, and add the next ingredient as soon as it smells fragrant.
5. 5
   Add the lamb and brown on all sides.

   Stove
6. 6
   Add the turmeric, cumin, baharat, cinnamon, salt and black pepper and stir.

   Stove
7. 7
   Put the onion, carrot, celery, parsley, garlic, bay leaves and thyme in a large pot with the cold water.

   Large pot

   💡Start with cold water: the vegetables release their flavor slowly as the water heats up.
8. 8
   Bring to a boil over high heat and skim off the foam.

   Stove
9. 9
   Turn down to medium-low heat and simmer uncovered 30–45 minutes.

   Stove

   💡A gentle simmer, not a boil: a hard boil dries the food out and clouds it, a slow simmer cooks it evenly.
10. 10
    Strain the stock through a fine sieve.

    Fine sieve
11. 11
    Add the water and bring to a boil. Turn down to low, cover and simmer 90 minutes, until the lamb softens.

    StoveLid

To assemble

1. 12
   Add the rice to the stock in the pot, bring to a boil and stir once.

   Stove
2. 13
   Turn down to low, cover and simmer 20 minutes without opening the lid, until the liquid is absorbed.

   StoveLid
3. 14
   Turn off the heat and leave covered 5–10 minutes.

   💡Don't open the lid during cooking: the steam is what cooks the top layer. A towel between the pot and the lid absorbs the drips, so the rice doesn't get soggy.
4. 15
   Gently fluff with a fork, transfer to a serving plate and arrange the lamb on top and serve.