Fattah

Ingredients

• 500 g lamb shoulder - cut into chunks
• 2 cups rice - washed and soaked for 30 minutes
• 2 large pita bread - cut into pieces and toasted
• 1 large onion - finely chopped
• 4 cloves garlic - minced
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin - for seasoning
• 1 teaspoon salt - to taste
• 1 teaspoon black pepper - to taste
• 1 cup chicken stock - or water
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil - for frying
• 1 cup vinegar - for sauce
• 1 cup water - for sauce
• 1 teaspoon chili flakes - optional for spice

Step-by-step instructions

1. In a large pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat, add the chopped onion and sauté until translucent, then add the minced garlic and ground cumin, cooking until fragrant.
2. Add the lamb shoulder pieces to the pot, season with salt and pepper, and brown on all sides, then pour in the chicken stock (or water) and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 1 hour until the lamb is tender.
3. Meanwhile, in another saucepan, bring water to a boil, add the soaked rice, and cook for about 15 minutes, then drain and set aside.
4. For the sauce, in a small saucepan, combine vinegar, water, minced garlic, and chili flakes (if using). Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
5. To assemble, place the toasted pita pieces at the bottom of a serving dish, layer with the cooked rice, and top with the tender lamb pieces. Drizzle generously with the vinegar sauce before serving.

Serving suggestion

Serve Fattah hot with a side of fresh salad and pickles to balance the richness of the dish.

Nutrition per serving (estimated)

Printable recipe PDF

Save this recipe for offline cooking or printing with the MedTable editorial PDF.