Laban Emmo (Lamb Cooked in Garlic Yoghurt with Vermicelli Rice)

Ingredients

• 600 g diced lamb shoulder
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 bay leaves
• 8 shallots
• 750 ml natural yoghurt
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• 30 g butter
• 50 g vermicelli pasta
• 300 g basmati rice
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 tsp dried mint

Method

1. 1

   Put the diced lamb shoulder in a pan with the cinnamon stick, bay leaves, 1 tsp salt and 1 litre water. Bring to the boil, skim, then simmer partly covered for 50 minutes.

2. 2

   Add the peeled whole shallots and simmer for 15 minutes more until the lamb and shallots are tender. Remove the cinnamon and bay leaves; you need about 300ml broth left, so boil it down or ladle some off.

3. 3

   Whisk the natural yoghurt with the cornflour in a large pan until smooth. Heat over a medium heat, stirring constantly in one direction, until it comes to a gentle bubble, about 8-10 minutes; the stirring stops it splitting.

4. 4

   Stir the lamb, shallots and 300ml broth into the yoghurt and simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring often.

5. 5

   Meanwhile, melt half the butter in a pan, fry the vermicelli pasta for 2-3 minutes until golden, then stir in the rinsed basmati rice, 600ml boiling water and 1 tsp salt. Cover and cook on the lowest heat for 12 minutes, then leave covered off the heat for 5 minutes.

6. 6

   Crush the garlic with a pinch of salt and fry in the remaining butter with the dried mint for 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir into the lamb and yoghurt and serve straight away over the rice.