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Rice, in a Starring Role
I’m always in the mood for rice. Any kind will do: Carolina rice, boiled and buttered; steamed jasmine rice; basmati rice in any guise; nutty brown, red or black rice; short-grained sticky rice. You can tempt me with a plate of Louisiana dirty rice, risotto, paella or biryani. I’ll travel miles for fried rice, congee or coconut rice pudding.
There are times when a simple pot of freshly cooked rice is the perfect accompaniment to a meal. On other occasions, a rice dish can be the main event. Pilaf (it goes by other names, like pilav, plov and pulao) falls into this category. Pilaf usually involves simmering rice with onions, aromatics and broth to amplify flavor and nutrients.
Some types of pilaf are meant to escort a main course. They can be unadorned, or may have small additions of tomato, or a handful of orzo.
In the cuisines of the Middle East, from Turkey to Afghanistan (and beyond to India and western China) pilaf-style rice and meat dishes are traditional and popular, especially for festive occasions. Usually, they’re made from steamed long-grain rice studded with spices, meat or chicken.
A pilaf I tasted in Istanbul inspired this particular one-pot meal. Essentially a fragrant lamb stew combined with basmati rice, it is not at all difficult to prepare. Though many pilafs are made entirely on the stovetop, my version is baked instead, once the lamb is nicely browned. Using the oven provides more-even heat for cooking the rice, and frees up your stovetop for other dishes.
The best cuts to use are lamb shoulder and neck, both of which are succulent and juicy when cooked; leaner leg meat is apt to turn dry. Browning the meat and onions very well is important for building the flavor of the dish. Once this initial work is out of the way, all the dish requires from you is an (unattended) hour in the oven.
Cinnamon, mace, allspice, cumin and coriander perfume the mixture. Golden raisins add sweetness, while chickpeas contribute a welcome flavor and texture, as well as additional protein. I prefer to cook my own chickpeas, and use their cooking liquid to moisten the rice. If you use canned, rinse them and use chicken broth instead.
With a topping of buttery walnuts, fresh mint leaves and tart pomegranate seeds, this is a nuanced, harmonious, festive pilaf. Served with a dollop of thick yogurt, it makes a fine family dinner, but is special enough for company, too.
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