(No Ratings Yet)
Loading...A festive Egyptian platter built from crispy toasted pita layered with seasoned rice, fall-apart braised lamb, and a tangy garlic-vinegar tomato sauce. Traditionally served during Eid al-Adha and other celebrations, this hearty dish is all about contrasting textures and the bright, sharp finish of the sauce that soaks into the bread and rice.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time75 mins
Total Time95 mins
Servings6
Yield6 servings
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 625 kcalCalories
- 28 gFat
- 10 gSaturated Fat
- 58 gCarbs
- 4 gFiber
- 4 gSugar
- 34 gProtein
- 880 mgSodium
- 620 mgPotassium
- 90 mgCalcium
- 4.5 mgIron
- 6 mgVitamin C
- 35 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the Lamb Stew
- 2 lb (900 g) lamb shoulder, bone-in, cut into 2-inch chunks
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 5 cups beef or lamb broth
For the Rice
- 2 cups Egyptian or short-grain rice, rinsed until water runs clear
- 3 cups reserved lamb broth
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp ghee
For the Crispy Pita Layer
- 4 rounds pita bread, torn into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tbsp ghee or neutral oil
For the Garlic-Vinegar Sauce
- 10 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 cup water or low-sodium broth
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- Pinch of ground white pepper
Directions
- Pat the lamb dry, then sear in a heavy pot over medium-high heat in a splash of oil until browned on all sides, about 6 to 8 minutes total.
- Add the chopped onion and smashed garlic to the pot and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until softened and fragrant, then stir in tomato paste, allspice, cinnamon, salt, pepper, and bay leaves.
- Pour in the broth, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer gently for 60 to 70 minutes until the lamb is fork-tender. Reserve 3 cups of the broth for the rice.
- While the lamb finishes, bring the reserved broth to a boil in a saucepan, add the rinsed rice and salt, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 15 to 18 minutes until tender and liquid is absorbed; fluff with a fork and stir in the ghee.
- Toss the torn pita pieces with ghee, spread on a sheet pan, and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring once, until deeply golden and crisp; alternatively flash-fry in hot oil for 1 to 2 minutes and drain.
- For the sauce, combine minced garlic, vinegar, water, tomato paste, cumin, coriander, salt, and white pepper in a small saucepan and simmer uncovered for 8 to 10 minutes until slightly thickened and the raw garlic flavor mellows.
- To assemble, spread the crispy pita across a wide serving platter and drizzle about 1/2 cup of the hot lamb broth over it so the bread softens just slightly. Mound the seasoned rice over the bread.
- Arrange the braised lamb pieces and a ladle of the stew broth over the rice, then pour the hot garlic-vinegar sauce evenly across the top. Serve immediately, family-style, straight from the platter.
Cook’s Notes
- The platter must go to the table hot so the vinegar-garlic sauce soaks into the rice and pita at the last moment, preserving the contrast between crisp and tender layers.
- Use bone-in lamb shoulder for the richest broth; chicken thighs on the bone work beautifully for a quicker, lighter version that cooks in about 35 minutes.
- Toast 1/3 cup pine nuts or slivered almonds in a dry skillet for 2 minutes and sprinkle over the top for color, crunch, and a nutty counterpoint to the tangy sauce.
- The garlic-vinegar sauce can be made up to 3 days ahead; it will thicken in the fridge, so loosen with a splash of warm broth when reheating.
- For a vegetarian fattah, swap the lamb for 2 cans of drained chickpeas plus 8 oz browned mushrooms simmered in the spiced broth for 20 minutes.
