Stuffed Baby Lamb

Stuffed Baby Lamb (Arabic: Kharoof Mahshi خاروف محشي) refers to a whole baby lamb stuffed with rice and nuts. It's a dish common throughout the Arab countries. The stuffing is simply very delicious. Stuffed baby lamb is usually served in special occasion and invitations of very close relatives and friends. During the month of Ramadan most hotel restaurants serve Stuffed Lamb on Iftar. Enjoy.

Serves: 10-12

Ingredients

Stuffing

¼ cup vegetable oil
3 chopped onions
1 kg cubed lamb
10 cups water
5 cups rice
1 cup raisins
1 cup shelled peas
¼ cup baharat spices*
1 cup pistachios
salt and pepper, to taste

Lamb

1 whole lamb (approximately 10 kg)
¼  cup olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
10 whole cloves
10 whole cardamom pods
¼ cup baharat spices
You will also need a trussing needle and twine

Baharat Spices

½ tbsp turmeric
1 tbsp cardamom
½ tbsp cinnamon
½ tsp fresh ground pepper
½ tsp ground angelica
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp coriander seeds
Mix all spices together

Method

1. For the stuffing, in 2 tablespoons of oil, lightly sauté the onions until soft and set them aside. In a new frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil and fry cubed lamb until cooked, then set it aside. Boil 3 cups of water, add the rice and salt. Bring to a boil for 2–3 minutes (until rice is tender), drain and set aside. Mix raisins, peas, baharat spices and pistachios, with the onion, lamb and rice.

2. To prepare the lamb, rub the lamb with salt (inside and out) and wash well. Once the lamb is cleaned, rub with salt, pepper and oil. Make small incisions throughout the flesh and stud with the whole cardamoms and cloves.

3. Stuff the lamb with the prepared stuffing and stitch it shut with the trussing needle and twine. Rub the spices over the outside of the lamb and cook on high heat for 1 hour. Then reduce heat to low and continue cooking for 6 hours, turning halfway through.