Machboos Laham
A fragrant and flavorful Kuwaiti national dish of tender lamb cooked with aromatic rice and a blend of traditional spices. It's a hearty and satisfying meal, often served on special occasions.
🧂 Ingredients
- 1 kg Lamb shoulder(cut into pieces)
- 3 medium Onions(2 chopped for stew, 1 quartered for boiling)
- 4 cloves Garlic cloves(minced)
- 2 medium Tomatoes(diced)
- 2 pieces Dried limes (loomi)
- 2 sticks Cinnamon sticks
- 4 pods Cardamom pods
- 1 tbsp Baharat spice mix
- 1 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 tsp Ground cumin
- 2 tsp Salt(or to taste)
- 0.5 tsp Black pepper(or to taste)
- 2 cups Basmati rice(soaked and drained)
- 4 cups Water or stock
- 3 tbsp Vegetable oil or ghee
- 0.25 cup Fresh coriander(chopped, for garnish)
- 0.25 tsp Saffron threads(soaked in 2 tbsp warm water (optional))
👨🍳 Instructions
- 1
In a large pot, combine lamb pieces with 2.5 liters of water, the quartered onion, cinnamon stick, peppercorns, cardamom pods, bay leaves, and 1 tbsp salt. Bring to a boil, skim off any froth, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 90 minutes, or until the lamb is tender.
- 2
Remove the lamb from the pot and set aside. Strain the broth and reserve about 4 cups for cooking the rice.
- 3
In the same pot (or a clean one), heat the vegetable oil or ghee over medium heat. Add the chopped onions and sauté until golden brown. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
- 4
Stir in the diced tomatoes, baharat spice mix, turmeric, cumin, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, salt, and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes until the tomatoes soften and the spices are fragrant.
- 5
Add the lamb pieces back to the pot and stir to coat them with the spice mixture. If using saffron, add the soaked saffron and its water.
- 6
Add the drained basmati rice and the reserved 4 cups of lamb broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until the rice is tender and has absorbed all the liquid.
- 7
Once the rice is cooked, return the lamb pieces to the pot, arranging them on top of the rice. Cover and let it rest for 5-10 minutes.
- 8
Garnish with fresh chopped coriander before serving.
💡 Pro Tips
- ✓For extra flavor, you can marinate the lamb with some of the spices and saffron water for 30 minutes before cooking.
- ✓Ensure the lamb is very tender before proceeding to cook the rice.
- ✓Adjust the amount of spices to your personal preference.
🔄 Variations
- Some recipes include raisins and fried onions as a topping.
- For a richer flavor, use lamb stock instead of water.