Let’s make Oman Mqallay, tender and succulent meat cooked in its own juices. It’s peppery and almost sweet from the pureness of flavors. Mqallay is traditionally served on brown Omani bread with honey, but I’m making it with aromatic white rice.
Ingredients:
For the Mqallay:
- 2 pounds lamb (or beef, camel, bone-in, boneless)
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- Salt (to taste)
- Black pepper (generous amount)
- Juice of 1 lemon
For the Rice:
- 2 cups canary rice (or any aromatic rice)
- 2 tbsp ghee
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 lumi (dried black lime)
- Cardamom pods
- Cloves
- Bay leaves
- 2 cups water
Preparation Time: 1.5 hours
Instructions:
- In a cold pan, add chopped onion, bell pepper, and lamb. Season with salt, black pepper, and lemon juice.
- Cook on high until juices are released, then reduce heat, cover, and let simmer for 1 hour or until all the juices evaporate, leaving a thick sauce coating the meat.
- For the rice, wash and soak canary rice in warm water for 30 minutes.
- In a pot, heat ghee, then add cinnamon sticks, lumi, cardamom, cloves, and bay leaves. Stir for a minute.
- Add the soaked rice and 2 cups of water. Once it boils, reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and let cook for 20 minutes.
- Spread the rice on a serving plate and top with the tender, flavorful meat.
- Serve with Muntaz chutney to balance the richness. Enjoy with loved ones!
Chef’s Tip: For an authentic touch, serve with Omani brown bread and honey.