Libyan Red Rice with Lamb Recipe

This recipe was created by Brad Mahlof and featured on Pan Pals, a companion series for The Great American Recipe. Watch Pan Pals now on YouTube!

2 cups white rice (long grain)
2-3 pounds of bone in lamb stew meat (shoulder and should be cut pretty small).
Optional Lamb bones (for more flavor) to be removed / discarded before adding in rice.
1 bunch Cilantro
Oil
Paprika (both hot and sweet)
Kosher salt (diamond crystal)
Cayenne (optional)
Black pepper
1 large onion chopped
1 leek chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
Chicken consomme powder (osem)

Rinse 2 cups of rice several times to remove excess starch. Set aside.
In a hot lidded pan or shallow pot, add oil and add lamb until nicely browned.
Remove browned lamb from the pan, add more oil and sauté chopped onions and leeks. After 1-2 minutes, add in chopped garlic. After a minute, add 1 tbsp of sweet paprika and 1/2 tbsp of hot paprika, and a small can of tomato paste. Stir and toast spices for about a minute but be careful not to burn.
Add back in the lamb and mix with the spice and tomato paste mix. Add water until the lamb is just covered, add 1 tsp of black pepper, 1/2 tablespoon of chicken consomme and 1/2 tablespoon of kosher salt. Simmer until lamb is soft (30-60 min but varies so check)
Remove lamb and lamb bones from water and add two cups of Fava beans and 2 cups of rice. Eyeball the ratio of rice to water (water to about the level of the rice). Adjust as needed. Taste the liquid and adjust seasoning. Can add cayenne or more hot paprika if you want a little kick. Adjust salt — you want to make sure the water is salted sufficiently to nicely flavor rice. Add one bunch of chopped cilantro. Cook rice until finished. Can also transfer to a casserole dish and cook covered in the oven. Once rice is cooked add back in the lamb. Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Libyan Red Rice with Lamb