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Roz bel khalta (Eid rice with nuts and minced beef)

رز بالخلطة (roz bel khalta): festive spiced rice with fried nuts, raisins and minced beef

On the first morning of Eid al-Adha, Egyptian families serve roz bel khalta next to the fattah and the roast, a rice so rich it's practically a main course. The khalta, or "mix", is minced beef fried with spices, then golden almonds, pine nuts and raisins fried separately and scattered over at the end. Some Cairo cooks add chopped chicken livers; they're optional here. Serve with yogurt and a salad. The usual slip is adding the nuts to the rice while cooking, so they go soft; fry them at the last minute and keep them crunchy. Chef's tip: cook the rice in the stock from boiling your Eid meat if you have it — that is where the depth comes from. Contains tree nuts.
Total time
60 min
Difficulty
medium
Serves
6
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Ingredients

Serves6

For the rice

For the khalta

To finish

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Fresh ingredients (4)

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Method

0/8 done
  1. Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp sunflower oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat and fry 1 onion until golden.

    7 min
  2. Step 2: Add 12 ½ oz minced beef and break it up, frying until browned all over with no pink left and the juices have cooked off. Add 5 ½ oz chicken livers, if using, and fry until no longer pink inside. The meat should reach 160°F.

    8 min
  3. Step 3: Stir in 1 tsp baharat or allspice, ½ tsp ground cinnamon, ¼ tsp ground cardamom, ¾ tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper and cook for a minute. Keep warm.

    2 min
  4. Step 4: Melt 1 oz ghee in a heavy pot, add the drained 14 oz Egyptian or other short-grain rice and stir for 2 minutes until glossy.

    2 min
  5. Step 5: Pour in 3 cups beef or chicken stock with 1 tsp salt, bring to the boil, cover and cook on the lowest heat until the stock has been absorbed.

    18 min
  6. Step 6: Fold half the meat into the rice, cover and rest off the heat for 10 minutes.

    5 min
  7. Step 7: Meanwhile melt ⅔ oz butter in a small pan and fry 1 ¾ oz blanched almonds until golden, then 1 oz pine nuts until pale gold, then 1 ⅜ oz raisins for 30 seconds until they puff. Watch closely; pine nuts burn fast.

    4 min
  8. Step 8: Pile the rice on a platter, top with the rest of the meat and scatter the nuts and raisins over.

Nutrition per serving

Calories
560 kcal
Protein
24 g
Carbs
60 g
Fat
25 g
Fibre
3 g

Nutrition values are estimates.

K
Recipe by

KrazyBadal

All recipes by this chef →

Good to know

How long does roz bel khalta (Eid rice with nuts and minced beef) take?
About 60 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 45 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 egyptian or other short-grain rice?
Any long-grain rice, same amount.
What can I use instead of ghee?
Butter, same amount (keep the heat a little lower, butter burns sooner).

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Perfect for:Eid