Ingredients
- 2 red onions
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley
- olive oil
- 850 gr. lamb neck fillet , cut into 2 – 3 cm pieces
- 2½ teaspoons ground cumin
- 1½ heaped teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 organic lamb or beef stock cube
- 500 gr. white basmati rice
- 25 gr. unsalted butter
- 1 large free-range egg
- 250 ml natural yoghurt , plus extra to serve
- 1 lemon
- 1 handful of pomegranate seeds
Method
- Peel and finely slice the onions and garlic, then pick and finely chop the parsley.
- Heat 1 splash of oil in a pan over a medium heat, then add the onions and sauté for 10′, or until soft and sticky.
- Add the lamb and cook for 5 – 8′, or until lightly browned, stirring in the cumin, coriander and garlic for the last 2′.
- Put the stock cube into the pan along with enough boiling water to just cover the meat.
- Bring to the boil, season and reduce to a simmer.
- Cover with a lid and cook for 90′, or until the meat is tender.
- Now remove the lid and boil away most of the cooking liquid, until you have a thick gravy, then stir in half of the parsley (saving the rest to serve) and season.
Rice.
- Place a large pan of salted water over a medium heat and bring to the boil.
- Wash the rice under cold running water until the water runs clear, then add it to the pan.
- Simmer for 6 – 7′, until it’s almost cooked but the grains still have some bite.
- Drain in a colander and cool under cold running water.
- Allow the rice to drain completely.
- In a bowl, mix together the yoghurt, egg and lemon juice and season well.
- Set aside a quarter of the yoghurt mixture, then stir the rest of it into half of the cooked rice.
- Preheat the oven to 190 ºC.
- In a large, heavy-based iron pot or casserole dish, melt the butter over a medium heat, brushing some up the sides of the pan.
- Pack the yoghurty rice into the base of the pan in one layer, then spread the lamb on top in another even layer.
- Mix the remaining rice with the leftover yoghurt mix, then use it to top the lamb.
- Cover with the lid or a layer of well-sealed foil.
- Bake in the oven for 60′, then remove the lid and bake for a further 45 -60′, or until you can see a dark golden crust all around the edge of the rice.
- When your dish is cooked, lower the pot into a sink of cold water for 1′, being careful the water doesn’t get in, then run a knife around the inside.
- Working quickly, place a large platter or board on top of the pot and invert it, so the tah chin comes out.
- Don’t worry if it isn’t completely rigid, the bottom layer of rice will be softer, but you should have a crunchy golden crust on top.
- Serve your tah chin topped with the rest of the chopped parsley, pomegranate seeds, and some extra yoghurt on the side, if you like.