LAMB WITH RICE

SELEQ – LAMB WITH RICE
FROM THE ARABIAN PENINSULA


"’Tafaddaloo – do us the honor!’ exclaimed the Bedouin as he invited the weary travelers to his tent for a sumptuous meal." So begins many travelers’ tales of journeys across the desert lands of the Near East.
It is entirely possible that Seleq was served to our weary traveler, for this is a very common dish among the desert Bedouins.

* 2 lbs. of lamb cut into ½ inch cubes
* 3 medium onions, finely chopped
* 2 Tb. Fresh cilantro, finely chopped
* Salt and pepper to taste
* 2 cups milk
* 2 cups rice, rinsed
* 4 tablespoons butter, melted

Simmer the meat, onions, coriander, salt and pepper in water in a covered saucepan over low heat for one hour. Remove the meat and set aside, and keep warm.
Add 2 cups of water and the milk to the stock in which the meat was cooked. Bring to a boil. Stir in rice, cover and cook very gently over low heat until the rice is nearly cooked (about 15 minutes.) Turn off the heat and allow to steam 10 minutes longer.
Place the rice on a large tray. Arrange the pieces of meat on top. Pour the melted butter over the rice and meat. Serve with a vegetable salad.

Serves 4 to 6.