Halal Cart Lamb Over Rice
Description:
Lamb over rice is one of the most popular dishes offered by New York City’s iconic halal carts. Street food culture has a long tradition in NYC, but the phenomenon of halal cart street vendors is relatively new. Halal cart food is believed to have originated in the 1990’s, with the increase of street food vendors in NYC who self-identified as either Egyptian, Bengali or Afghani. What’s interesting is that the food offered by halal carts is not very similar to the native cuisines of the proprietors who operate them; rather, the food is more of a Mediterranean-Middle Eastern hybrid that is tailored towards American food preferences. Today, halal food has gained popularity throughout the country, and halal carts can be found in other major cities throughout the country.
(Source: Eater)
Ingredients:
(Makes 4 servings)
½ lb ground beef (80/20 lean to fat)
½ lb ground lamb (226 g)
¼ medium onion, cut into a rough dice
1 clove garlic
2 tbsp Greek yogurt (30 g)
½ tsp cumin (3 g)
½ tsp coriander (3 g)
½ tsp dried oregano (3 g)
½ tsp fresh thyme (3 g)
½ tsp black pepper (3 g)
½ tsp smoked paprika (3 g)
1 ½ tsp salt (9 g)
½ tsp baking soda (3 g)
Rice
1 cup basmati rice (120 g)
2 cups chicken stock (480 ml)
1 tbsp butter (14 g)
1 tsp turmeric (6 g)
½ tsp paprika (3 g)
½ tsp cumin (3 g)
½ tsp salt (3 g)
White Sauce
½ cup mayonnaise (60 g)
1 cup greek yogurt (120 g)
1/2 tsp dried parsley (6 g)
2 tbsp lemon juice (30 ml)
1 tsp white vinegar
1/2 tsp garlic powder (3 g)
Red Sauce
2 tbsp Calabrian chiles or chili spread (30 g)
1 tbsp tomato paste (15 g)
1 tbsp lemon juice (15 ml)
½ tsp cayenne (3 g)
½ tsp cumin (3 g)
½ tsp coriander (3 g)
1 clove garlic
1 tbsp olive oil (15 ml)
To Serve
Shredded lettuce
Diced cucumber
Diced tomato
Sliced onion
Pita bread (see recipe here)
Preparation:
In a pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the turmeric, paprika & cumin, and cook for 30 seconds. Add the chicken stock, and season to taste with salt. If you are using a rice cooker, transfer the rice and the liquid to the cooker and fill the liquid about a centimeter above the rice. If using a pot, fill the stock mixture to the same level and bring the pot to a simmer. Then, turn the heat to low and cover to steam the rice for about 18 minutes.
To make red sauce, combine all ingredients and blend with an immersion mixer. Add more cayenne if you prefer it spicier.
To make white sauce, whisk all ingredients together in a bowl.
In a food processor, add the onion and garlic and pulse until broken down. Add the yogurt, cumin, coriander, paprika, oregano, thyme, black pepper, salt & baking soda, and pulse again until finely processed. Lastly, add the lamb & beef and pulse until it forms a paste. Remove and transfer to a baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper. Shape the meat into a rectangle that is 1” high and no more than 4” wide - the length can be as long as necessary. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to marinade in the fridge for at least an hour, up to 3 days. Preheat the oven to 325 and then bake the meat for 15 minutes, or until the meat is just barely cooked through. Allow the meat loaf to cool in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
Using a sharp knife, cut the chilled meat loaf into ¼ inch slices. Cut these slices into cubes. Heat a nonstick or cast iron pan over high heat with a tsp of oil. Fry for 2-3 minutes until browned on both sides, then remove.
To serve, spoon the rice in a bowl and top with the meat. Place the lettuce, tomato, onion and pita slices on the side. Drizzle the white sauce and then the red sauce over top the lamb and rice.
Notes:
For the meat, you can use only ground beef or lamb if you prefer.
For the red sauce, you can use harissa, sriracha or sambal hot sauce instead of Calabrian chiles if you prefer.
Do not exclude the baking soda from the meat recipe - this is what gives it a soft consistency.