زربيان

Marinate the lamb pieces in the yoghurt, hawaij spice blend, turmeric, and a generous teaspoon of salt. Mix well to coat every piece, then cover and refrigerate for at least two hours or preferably overnight to allow the spices to penetrate deeply.

Heat the ghee and oil together in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onions and fry, stirring frequently, for ten to twelve minutes until they are a deep caramel brown colour. Remove half the onions and reserve for garnish.

Add the marinated lamb with all its yoghurt marinade to the pot with the remaining caramelised onions. Sear the meat for five minutes, then add the cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick, and enough water to cover the lamb by two centimetres.

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer for one to one and a half hours until the lamb is very tender and the sauce has reduced to a thick, richly spiced gravy coating the meat.

While the lamb cooks, parboil the rinsed rice in a large pot of well-salted boiling water for five to six minutes until the grains are about seventy-five percent cooked and still have a firm bite in the centre. Drain the rice thoroughly.

Fry the potato rounds in a little oil until golden on both sides and arrange them on the bottom of the lamb pot. Spread the lamb pieces over the potatoes, then layer the parboiled rice evenly over the top of the meat.

Drizzle the saffron-rose water mixture over the surface of the rice, creating streaks of golden colour. Scatter the reserved caramelised onions on top, then cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid sealed with a clean kitchen towel to trap all the steam.

Cook on the lowest possible heat for thirty to thirty-five minutes until the rice is fully tender and has absorbed the aromatic steam from the lamb below. Remove from heat and rest covered for ten minutes before carefully inverting onto a large platter.

Garnish the zurbian with toasted almonds and plump raisins scattered over the top. The presentation should reveal layers of golden rice, tender lamb, and crispy potatoes from the bottom of the pot. Serve immediately family-style.