The foundation of Middle Eastern cuisine and what makes it unique is the seasoning. In Arabic food there is a heavy emphasis on the use of a variety of herbs and spices which gives our food its distinct taste and flavor.
The difference between the spices we use and the Indian ones is that most of our dishes are spicy but not hot spicy and we don’t rely heavily on the use of chilies.
Arabic-style rice stuffing is an easy dish that is used for chicken, lamb or turkey stuffing. It is also served as a side dish with traditional Arabic roasted leg of lamb or roasted chicken pieces. For those hectic days when there is little time or energy left to spend in the kitchen, Arabic-style rice stuffing is a great standalone dish that is enjoyed by kids and adults alike!
The portion for Arabic Style Rice Stuffing below is sufficient to stuff about 5 average-size chickens. Usually, I stuff 3 chickens, and serve the remaining stuffing on the side. If you want to use the rice stuffing to stuff a small lamb then double the portion.
Arabic Style Rice Stuffing Recipe
Preparation time: 10 min Cook time: 30 min
Ingredients:
500 grams minced beef meat
3½ cups long-grain rice
1/2 cup vegetable oil (canola, corn or sunflower)
1 teaspoon mixed spice (mixed spices recipe)
1 teaspoon ground allspice
6 cups water
Rice spices:
3 teaspoons mixed spice (mixed spices recipe)
1½ teaspoon ground allspice
1½ teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1½ teaspoon salt
3 cubes chicken stock (chicken bouillon), crushed
How to make Arabic Style Rice Stuffing Recipe:
- Mix all the rice spices in a dish together with the crushed chicken stock cube. I use a knife to crush the chicken stock by scrubbing the knife against the cube to get small pieces. Another way to crush the cube is to press the cube between your fingers to break it up into very small pieces.
- Wash the rice and put it in a sieve for the water to drain.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a pan and add the minced meat, 1 teaspoon mixed spices and 1 teaspoon allspice. Toss in the pan until meat is done and it’s color becomes light brown. About 5 minutes.
- Using your hands, mix the rice spices with the drained rice. While mixing, be sure to have a dish under the sieve so that you can capture any spices that pass through and add them to the pan.
- Add the rice mixed with spices to the meat and toss over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. This infuses the spices into the rice.
- Add the water, mix well and cover the pan and let it simmer over medium-low heat until rice is cooked.
If using for stuffing chicken, turkey or lamb; let the rice cool before you stuff it. Try my Arabian-Style Stuffed Chicken Recipe for a yummy traditional Middle Eastern dish.
If serving as a standalone dish, serve with yogurt or mixed salad.
Hope you enjoyed today’s easy recipe: Arabic Style Rice Stuffing, a traditional Middle Eastern dish. Bon appetite.
What is your favorite rice stuffing recipe?
اضغط الرابط لقراءة وصفة حشوة الأرز باللحمة باللغة العربية
