Middle Eastern · main

Ground Lamb and Pine Nut Rice Skillet

Ground Lamb and Pine Nut Rice Skillet reads umami 6.2, richness 5.2 and allium 4.3 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Middle Eastern main, about 50 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 6.7 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 5.0 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 1.0 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.5 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 6.5 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 5.0 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 6.2 · Richness 5.2 · Allium 4.3 · Nutty 4.2 · Sweetness 4.1 · Salinity 4.0 · Herbaceous 3.6 · Fruity 2.8 · Warm Spice 2.6 · Heat 2.4 · Earthy 2.3 · Floral 1.6 · Bitterness 1.2 · Funk & Ferment 1.1 · Citrus 0.8 · Sourness 0.8

What's in it (16)

• long grain basmati rice — 266 g
• unsalted butter — 41 g
• pine nuts — 79 g
• lamb — 454 g
• yellow onion — 110 g
• garlic — 12 g
• cinnamon — 5 g
• allspice — 5 g
• cumin — 3 g
• cayenne pepper — 1 g
• chicken broth — 651 g
• salt — 5 g
• black pepper — 3 g
• golden raisins — 79 g
• parsley — 15 g
• mint — 7 g

Time & effort: about 50 min (49 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 178.1 kcal, 8.7 g protein, 10.4 g fat, 17.4 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. Rinse the rice in a fine-mesh strainer under cold running water until the water runs clear; set aside to drain.
2. Toast the pine nuts in a large, dry skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until golden brown and fragrant, 3-4 minutes; transfer to a small bowl.
3. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground lamb, breaking it into small crumbles with a wooden spoon, and cook until deeply browned, no longer pink, and cooked through to at least 160F, 6-7 minutes. Transfer the lamb to a plate, leaving the fat in the skillet.
4. Add the onion to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly golden, 4-5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, cinnamon, allspice, cumin, and cayenne, and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
5. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and the drained rice to the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly to coat every grain, until the rice turns opaque and smells lightly toasted, about 2 minutes.
6. Return the browned lamb to the skillet along with any accumulated juices. Pour in the chicken broth, add the salt and black pepper, and stir to combine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
7. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover tightly, and simmer undisturbed until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, 16-18 minutes.
8. Remove the skillet from the heat, sprinkle the raisins evenly over the top, cover, and let stand undisturbed for 10 minutes to finish steaming and plump the raisins.
9. Uncover, fluff the rice with a fork, and fold in the toasted pine nuts and parsley. Taste and season with more salt if needed. Top with mint, if using, and serve directly from the skillet.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Spiced Ground Turkey Curry with Peas — Indian
• Ndizi Nyama (Green Banana and Beef Stew) — Tanzanian
• Spinach Chicken Meatballs in Curry Sauce — Indian
• Ground Pork and Green Bean Stir-Fry — Chinese-American
• Middle Eastern Cinnamon-Spiced Beef and Rice Stuffed Peppers — Middle Eastern

Keep reading: what umami, richness, allium mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.