Ingredients
- One rack of lamb ribs
- 2 cups of rice
- 1 large onion
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1/2 cup of pine nuts
- 1/2 cup of currants
- 1 tbsp of ground allspice
- 1 tbsp of cinnamon
- 1 bunch of fresh parsley
- 1 bunch of fresh dill
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup of olive oil
- Cups of hot water or broth
- 2 lemons for garnish (optional)
- Brushing sauce: 6 tbsp of yogurt; 1 tatlı kaşığı hardal
- 1 tsp of salt
Preparation and Cooking
- Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs clear, then drain.
- To prepare the stuffing: In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the finely chopped onion and garlic and sauté until they become translucent. Add the pine nuts and continue to sauté until they are lightly browned. Then add the rice to the pan and stir for a couple of minutes to lightly toast the rice. Stir in the currants, allspice, and cinnamon. Cook it for another minute until the spices are well mixed.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the chopped parsley and dill and season the final stuffing with salt and pepper to taste.
- Clean and dry the lamb ribs by making sure they are clean and dry. Then stuff the mixture between the ribs, and use kitchen string to tie the ribs.
- Place the stuffed lamb ribs in a large stainless-steel tray, add the hot water or broth to the pan, cover with foil, and cook for about 2-3 hours at around 160-180oC in Area D, or until the lamb is tender.
- Remove the foil for the last 10-15 min of cooking and move the tray to Area C or Area A to allow the outer layer of the lamb ribs to get brown or crispy.
- Let the lamb rest for a few minutes before cutting into individual ribs. Serve the Stuffed Ribs hot, garnished with lemon slices if desired.
Hints and Comments
- Cooking a turkey in a wood-fired oven can give it a unique, smoky flavour that’s hard to replicate with a conventional oven. It can also be cooked under “slow cooking mode” at around 120-140oC for a longer period of times up to 6-8 hours.
- This dish continues to maintain the traditions and customs special to the religious festival in the Mardin and Diyarbakir region in Turkiye. Depending on the season, rib stuffing takes the place of beans, stew, rice pudding and zerdali in the holiday breakfast.
