Mathrooba Laham — Print Recipe

A rich, unctuous lamb and rice dish pounded into a smooth, porridge-like consistency with generous amounts of ghee, creating the ultimate Qatari comfort food with deep, meaty flavor.

Ingredients

500g bone-in lamb shank
1.5 cups short-grain rice
1 onion, halved
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp bezar spice
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
6 cups water
4 tbsp ghee
Cinnamon for garnish

Instructions

1 Place lamb, onion, turmeric, bezar, salt, and water in a large pot. Boil then simmer for 1 hour until lamb is falling off the bone.
2 Remove lamb, shred meat finely, discard bones. Strain and reserve broth.
3 Return broth to pot, add rice, and cook on medium-low for 30 minutes until rice is very soft and breaking down.
4 Return shredded lamb to the pot. Beat vigorously with a wooden pestle for 15 minutes until the mixture is smooth and cohesive.
5 Stir in ghee until fully incorporated. The final texture should be thick, glossy, and smooth.
6 Mound on a platter, make a well for extra melted ghee, and dust with cinnamon. Serve warm.

Did You Know?

Making mathrooba was traditionally a two-person job — one to hold the pot steady while the other pounded the rice and meat with a large wooden pestle.