Eid Al-Adha Lamb Shoulder and Green Cardamom Basmati

Name: Eid Al-Adha Lamb Shoulder and Green Cardamom Basmati
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 50 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 2 lb (900 g) lamb shoulder, boneless, cut into 1½-inch cubes, patted dry, cut into 1½-inch cubes; 3 tbsp (45 ml) vegetable oil or ghee; 2 medium (300 g) medium yellow onions, thinly sliced; 6 clove (30 g) garlic cloves, minced; 1 tbsp (12 g) fresh ginger, grated or minced; 8 pod (3½ g) green cardamom pods, lightly crushed; 1 stick (3-inch) (8 cm) cinnamon stick; 2 leaf bay leaf; 4 clove whole cloves; 1 tsp (5 g) cumin seeds; 1½ tsp (9 g) kosher salt; ½ tsp (2 g) freshly ground black pepper; 2 cup (360 g) basmati rice, rinsed until water runs clear; 3½ cup (840 ml) lamb or chicken broth; 2 tbsp (30 g) tomato paste; ¼ cup (15 g) fresh cilantro, chopped, chopped (optional); ¼ cup (30 g) crispy fried onions, store-bought or homemade (optional); 2 tbsp (10 g) fresh mint leaves, torn or chopped (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A fragrant one-pot pilaf celebrating Eid Al-Adha, with tender braised lamb shoulder, aromatic green cardamom, cinnamon, and fluffy basmati rice. The lamb cooks first until meltingly tender, infusing the rice with rich, warming spices and savory depth. Simple, elegant, and deeply satisfying.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 1 hr 30 min
Wait: 15 min
Total: 2 hr 5 min
Makes: 6 servings (about 1⅓ cups per serving)

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Ingredients

6 servings

2 lb (900 g) lamb shoulder, boneless, cut into 1½-inch cubes, patted dry, cut into 1½-inch cubes
3 tbsp (45 ml) vegetable oil or ghee
2 medium (300 g) medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
6 clove (30 g) garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp (12 g) fresh ginger, grated or minced
8 pod (3.5 g) green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
1 stick (3-inch) (8 cm) cinnamon stick
2 leaf bay leaf
4 clove whole cloves
1 tsp (5 g) cumin seeds
1½ tsp (9 g) kosher salt
½ tsp (2 g) freshly ground black pepper
2 cup (360 g) basmati rice, rinsed until water runs clear
3½ cup (840 ml) lamb or chicken broth
2 tbsp (30 g) tomato paste
¼ cup (15 g) fresh cilantro, chopped, chopped (optional)
¼ cup (30 g) crispy fried onions, store-bought or homemade (optional)
2 tbsp (10 g) fresh mint leaves, torn or chopped (optional)

Equipment (4)

Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot with lid (5- to 6-quart capacity)
Sharp knife for cutting meat
Fine-mesh strainer or colander (for rinsing rice)
Wooden spoon or spatula

Steps

Before you start

Pat the lamb dry before cooking—this helps it brown properly
Rinse the basmati rice until water runs clear to remove excess starch
Have all spices measured and ready before you begin
Use a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid

1
Sear the lambOven 400°F / 205°C
- Heat 1½ tbsp (22 ml) of oil in a Dutch oven or large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat (about 400°F/200°C).
- Working in batches to avoid crowding, sear the lamb cubes for 3–4 minutes per side until deeply browned on all sides.
- Transfer to a plate.
- Do not cook through—you are browning only.
- This should take about 10–12 minutes total for all batches.
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Ready when: Lamb is deeply caramelized on all sides and has developed a brown crust
Tip: Do not crowd the pan or move the meat too frequently—let it sit on the hot surface long enough to brown properly
2
Build the aromatics base
- Add the remaining 1½ tbsp (22 ml) of oil to the same pot.
- Lower heat to medium.
- Add the sliced onions and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes until they begin to soften and turn golden.
- Add the minced garlic and ginger, and stir for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Avoid browning them—keep the heat at medium.
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Ready when: Onions are softened and golden, garlic and ginger are fragrant and no longer raw-smelling
Tip: Garlic and ginger burn easily—keep the heat at medium and watch carefully
3
Toast the whole spices
- Add the crushed green cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, whole cloves, and cumin seeds to the pot.
- Stir constantly for 1–2 minutes until the spices become very fragrant and the cardamom releases its aroma.
- The kitchen should smell intensely aromatic.
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Ready when: Spices are fragrant and toasted but not burned; kitchen smells rich and aromatic
Tip: Toasting activates the spices' oils, but they burn quickly—keep stirring and do not exceed 2 minutes
4
Build depth with tomato paste
- Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to coat the spices and onions.
- This deepens the flavor and ensures even distribution.
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Ready when: Tomato paste is well incorporated and turns rust-colored
Tip: Stir constantly to prevent the paste from sticking or burning on the bottom
5
Return the lamb and add broth
- Return the browned lamb and any juices from the plate back to the pot.
- Pour in the lamb or chicken broth.
- Stir in the salt and black pepper.
- The broth should cover the meat by about 1 inch (2.5 cm).
- Increase the heat to medium-high and bring to a simmer.
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Ready when: Broth comes to a gentle simmer with small bubbles breaking the surface
Tip: Do not boil vigorously—you want a gentle simmer to keep the meat tender
6
Braise the lamb
- Once simmering, reduce heat to medium-low and cover the pot with the lid.
- Braise for 50–60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lamb is completely tender and nearly falling apart when pressed with a spoon.
- The meat should offer almost no resistance to a fork.
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Ready when: Lamb is very tender and breaks apart easily with a spoon; broth has reduced slightly and is flavorful
Tip: If the broth evaporates too quickly, add a little warm water to keep the meat covered. If broth remains very soupy at the end, increase heat for the last 10 minutes to reduce it
7
Add the rinsed rice
- Increase the heat to medium-high.
- Stir in the rinsed basmati rice, making sure it is evenly distributed in the pot and submerged in the broth.
- The rice should just barely be covered by liquid.
- Bring back to a simmer.
- Do not stir from this point forward.
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Ready when: Broth returns to a gentle simmer and rice grains are visible and beginning to absorb liquid
Tip: Spreading the rice evenly prevents some grains from overcooking and others from remaining underdone
8
Cook the rice undisturbed
- Once simmering, reduce heat to medium-low and cover the pot tightly with the lid.
- Cook without lifting the lid or stirring for 18–20 minutes until all liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender.
- The top of the rice should look slightly dry, not wet.
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Ready when: All liquid is absorbed, grains are separate and fluffy, rice is tender but not mushy, top looks dry
Tip: Do not lift the lid during cooking or the steam will escape and the rice will not cook evenly. If you hear sizzling at the end, the heat is fine—that is just the bottom beginning to caramelize slightly
9
Rest and fluff
- Remove the pot from heat and keep the lid on.
- Let it rest undisturbed for 5 minutes.
- This allows the rice to finish cooking gently from residual steam and the flavors to settle.
- After 5 minutes, remove the lid and gently fluff the pilaf with a fork, being careful not to break the rice grains.
- The meat should be fully shredded or in soft pieces throughout.
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Ready when: Rice is fluffy and grains separate easily; meat is tender and well distributed
Tip: Resting prevents the rice from becoming mushy and helps steam distribute evenly
10
Finish and serve
- Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed.
- Transfer to a serving platter.
- Garnish with fresh cilantro, torn mint leaves, and crispy fried onions if using.
- Serve immediately while hot, with yogurt or a simple tomato salad alongside.
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Tip: Add garnishes just before serving so fresh herbs stay bright and crispy onions do not soften from steam

Good to know

Tips

For extra tenderness and flavor, marinate the lamb in yogurt with ginger and garlic for 1–4 hours before cooking, then drain well before searing.
Basmati rice is sensitive to stirring—once you add it to the broth, do not stir or lift the lid. Stirring breaks the grains and releases starch, making the pilaf gummy.
If you have saffron threads on hand, steep a pinch in ¼ cup warm broth for 10 minutes and stir it in after adding the rice for a richer, golden color and floral note.
Leftover meat can be shredded finely and used in sandwiches, with naan, or as a filling for pastries the next day.

Make ahead

The pilaf is best served fresh, but leftovers can be refrigerated and gently reheated with a splash of broth or water over low heat the next day. For a special occasion, you can braise the lamb up to 1 day ahead, cool, cover, and refrigerate. Reheat the lamb in its broth before adding the rice and proceeding with the recipe.

Storage & reheating

Room temperature: not recommended (risk of bacterial growth). Refrigerator: store in an airtight container for up to 3 days; reheat gently in a pot with a splash of water over medium-low heat for 8–10 minutes, stirring gently, until steaming. Freezer: freezes well for up to 2 months in an airtight container; thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat as above, allowing 10–12 minutes.

Substitutions

lamb shoulder, boneless, cut into 1½-inch cubes → Goat shoulder or beef chuck. Both are slightly leaner or more robust; adjust braising time to 60–70 minutes for beef, which requires longer to become tender
green cardamom pods → Black cardamom (use 6 pods) or ½ tsp ground cardamom added at the end. Green cardamom is more floral and delicate; black cardamom brings deeper, smoky notes; ground cardamom loses some aroma, so add with garnish
basmati rice → Jasmine rice or long-grain white rice. Jasmine is aromatic and similar; long-grain rice is sturdier but less fragrant—reduce cooking time by 2 minutes if using jasmine
lamb or chicken broth → Chicken broth or vegetable broth with a pinch of saffron. Chicken broth is lighter; vegetable broth is neutral; saffron adds a golden color reminiscent of special-occasion pilafs