FREEKEH PILAV WITH LAMB
Pilaf, or pilav, is one of the best known Turkish dishes. Freekeh is a delicious wheat harvested when still green but can be replaced with bulgur or buckwheat to create a hearty pilav.
Ingredients
50 millilitres Cooking oil
1 Red Onion, peeled and finely diced
2 Garlic Cloves, peeled and crushed
1 tablespoon Farro sweet paprika
2 teaspoons Farro ground cumin
1 teaspoon Farro ground allspice
1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
400 grams diced lamb
1 pack freekeh, well rinsed in several changes of water and soaked for 20 minutes
Peel from 1/2 lemon and juice reserved
2 thyme sprigs
1 can chopped tomatoes
800 millilitres Farro vegetable stock
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 can chickpeas, well rinsed and drained
1 bunch Italian parsley, roughly chopped
Method
In a heavy-based pan with a lid, heat the cooking oil and gently cook the onion and garlic over a medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until softened
Increase the heat and add the dry spices and mix well. Then add the pomegranate molasses
Add the lamb and brown well. Stir in the freekeh, lemon peel, thyme, tomatoes and lastly, the stock, mixing well. Bring to the boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 45-60 minutes or until the lamb is soft and tender.
Remove the lid and reduce any excess liquid for 10-15 minutes. Add the chickpeas, mixing well again. Adding salt and pepper to taste
To serve, stir in the lemon juice and half the parsley and spoon into a deep serving dish
Garnish with the remaining parsley