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Bakhsh
Bakhsh: Bukharan Jewish green rice with beef, liver and coriander
Bakhsh is the Shabbat and holiday rice of the Bukharan Jews, who lived in Bukhara and Samarkand for centuries before most emigrated to Israel and New York: rice mixed with small cubes of beef and liver and so much chopped coriander that it turns deep green, then cooked slowly in a cloth bag inside a pot of broth (bakhsh khalta) or in a pot sealed on the stove. It is fragrant, rich and moist. This version uses beef and calves' liver and the pot method. A common mistake is chopping the coriander roughly; it should be very fine so the rice turns evenly green. Chef's tip: cut the meat into rice-grain-sized pieces so it cooks in the same time as the rice. The liver and meat should be cooked through, 71 °C.
- Total time
- 150 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the bakhsh
- 14 oz beef chuckcut into 5 mm dice
- 7 oz calves' livercut into 5 mm dice
- 6 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 onionfinely chopped
- 5 ½ oz fresh coriandervery finely chopped
- 14 oz long-grain ricesoaked 30 minutes
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 2 ¾ cups boiling water
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Heat 6 tbsp sunflower oil in a heavy pot over a medium-high heat and fry 14 oz beef chuck for 8 minutes, until browned. Add 1 onion and fry 5 minutes.
13 minStep 2: Add 7 oz calves' liver and fry for 3 minutes, until it loses its raw colour.
3 minStep 3: Drain 14 oz long-grain rice and mix it with 5 ½ oz fresh coriander, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper and 1 tsp ground cumin. Common mistake: roughly chopped coriander; it won't turn the rice green.
Step 4: Stir the rice into the pot, pour in 2 ¾ cups boiling water and bring to the boil. Cover tightly, wrapping the lid in a tea towel.
Step 5: Cook on the lowest heat for 1¼ hours, then rest 20 minutes off the heat. The rice should be tender and moist, deep green, with the meat soft and cooked through.
95 minStep 6: Fluff and serve with salad and pickles.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- Protein
- 30 g
- Carbs
- 60 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
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Good to know
- How long does bakhsh take?
- About 150 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 120 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of fresh coriander?
- Flat-leaf parsley with a little mint (for people who dislike coriander too).
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