Traditional Eid Lunch Preparation

Traditional Eid Lunch Preparation

By Freej Bin Rashdan Restaurant for Authentic Bahraini Cuisine (The Authentic Bahraini Method)

Ingredients

• 6–8 cups Rice (soaked in water)

• Saffron soaked in 1 cup of rose water

• 2 Lamb shoulders with bone (approx. 4 kg)

For Boiling the Meat:

• 4 Onions

• 10 Garlic cloves

• 12 Whole black peppercorns

• 12 Cardamom pods (partially opened)

• 12 Whole cloves

• 4 Cinnamon sticks

• 10 Dried black limes (Loomi), pierced

• 1 tsp Turmeric

Meat Aromatics (Rub):

• 1 cup Rose water

• 1 tsp Ground cardamom

• 1 tbsp Cumin and coriander mix

The Garnish (Hashu):

• 2–3 cups Onions, chopped

• 3 tbsp Golden raisins (Kishmish)

• ½ cup Split chickpeas (Nekhee), boiled

• 4 tbsp Cooking oil

• 1 tbsp Freej Bin Rashdan special spice mix (Bazar)

• 1 tsp Cardamom powder

• 1 tbsp Ground dried black lime (Loomi)

• ½ cup Boiled almonds

For Decoration:

• 6–8 Hard-boiled eggs

• Saffron strands soaked in 3 tbsp rose water

• 1 cup Fried almonds and cashews (optional)

• 4–5 Lemon slices (optional)

Preparation Method

1. Boiling the Meat

1. Wash the meat thoroughly. Place it in a pot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over low heat.

2. Skim off the foam (scum) that rises to the surface.

3. Add the whole spices, turmeric, chopped onions, and garlic. Lower the heat, cover the pot, and simmer until the meat is tender.

4. Add salt only after the meat is fully cooked.

2. The Rice

5. Remove the meat and the whole spices from the broth. Add the drained rice to the broth, stir gently, and cook over medium heat until the liquid is absorbed. Reduce heat to low, cover, and steam for 20 minutes.

6. Drizzle the saffron and rose water infusion over the rice.

7. Rub the cooked meat with the mixture of rose water, cardamom, cumin, coriander, and some crushed black lime. Roast in the oven until golden brown.

3. The Garnish (Hashu)

8. Sauté the onions in a dry pot over medium heat, splashing with a little water occasionally until they turn a deep golden brown.

9. Add the cooking oil and stir the onions.

10. Lower the heat and add the boiled split chickpeas.

11. Add the raisins, turmeric, salt, ground black lime, and the Freej Bin Rashdan spice mix.

12. Sprinkle the mixture with a bit of cardamom and the saffron-rose water infusion.

13. Cover and leave on low heat for a few minutes, then remove from heat.

14. Fold in some fresh green coriander.

Serving

Spread the rice on a large serving platter (Siniya). Place the roasted lamb in the center and top with the Hashu garnish and boiled eggs. Decorate with toasted nuts and lemon slices if desired.