Description

A flavorful and comforting dish featuring tender lamb shoulder seasoned with toasted cumin seeds, garlic, and onion, served over fragrant jasmine rice cooked in a savory vegetable broth. The lamb is first seared to achieve a crispy exterior before simmering slowly until perfectly tender, resulting in a hearty and aromatic meal ideal for family dinners.

Ingredients

Scale

Lamb and Seasoning

1.5 lbs (680 g) lamb shoulder, cut into chunks
2 tablespoons cumin seeds
4 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste

Aromatics and Cooking Liquid

1 large onion, chopped
4 cups (960 ml) vegetable broth
2 tablespoons olive oil

Rice

1 cup (200 g) jasmine rice

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Instructions

Season the lamb: Generously season the lamb shoulder chunks with salt and pepper to enhance their natural flavors.
Heat the oil: Warm olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat to prepare for searing.
Sear the lamb: Add the lamb in batches, searing on all sides until golden brown, about 5-7 minutes per batch, to develop a crispy crust and deepen flavor.
Set aside lamb: Remove the seared lamb from the skillet and set aside temporarily.
Sauté aromatics: Add chopped onion and minced garlic to the skillet and cook for 3-4 minutes until onions are translucent and fragrant.
Toast cumin seeds: Stir in cumin seeds and toast them for an additional minute to release their warm, earthy aroma.
Combine and simmer: Return the seared lamb to the skillet, pour in the vegetable broth, scraping the browned bits from the bottom to incorporate extra flavor.
Simmer lamb: Bring to a simmer, cover, reduce heat to low, and let cook gently for 1.5 to 2 hours until lamb is tender and flavorful.
Prepare broth and rice: Remove the lamb and strain the broth if desired. Bring the broth back to a boil, then add jasmine rice.
Cook rice: Lower heat to low, cover, and cook the rice for about 15 minutes until fluffy and tender.
Serve: Fluff the rice with a fork, plate it, then top with the crispy cumin lamb and spoon over some broth. Garnish with fresh herbs if desired for added brightness.

Notes

To enhance flavor, consider marinating the lamb with cumin and garlic a few hours before cooking.
Straining the broth before cooking the rice results in a clearer, smoother broth but is optional.
For even cooking, cut lamb into uniform chunks.
Fresh herbs like cilantro or parsley make excellent garnishes for freshness and color.
Leftover lamb and broth can be refrigerated and used in stews or soups within 2 days.
Use vegetable broth or swap with chicken broth if preferred for a different flavor profile.