Yemeni Hawaij Beef Fried Rice

Name: Yemeni Hawaij Beef Fried Rice
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Middle Eastern
Ingredients: 1 lb (450 g) ground beef (80/20), at room temperature for 15 minutes; 3 tbsp (45 ml) neutral oil or ghee; 1 large (about 10 oz) (280 g) yellow onion, finely diced; 4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, finely grated or minced; 2 medium (about 10 oz) (280 g) ripe tomatoes, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice; 1½ tbsp (10 g) Yemeni hawaij spice blend for soup/savory dishes; 1 tbsp (16 g) tomato paste; 4 cups (660 g) cooked long-grain or basmati rice, cold, preferably day-old, clumps broken up; 1½ tsp (7 g) kosher salt; 1 chili (10 g) green chili (such as serrano), thinly sliced (optional); ½ cup (15 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped; 1 lemon (60 g) lemon, cut into wedges

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A fragrant skillet fried rice built on ground beef, sweet caramelized onion, and juicy tomato, all perfumed with hawaij, the Yemeni blend of cumin, black pepper, turmeric, and cardamom. Day-old rice gives fluffy, separate grains with crisp edges.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 25 min
Total: 40 min
Makes: About 6 cups (4 generous servings)

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Ingredients

4 servings

1 lb (450 g) ground beef (80/20), at room temperature for 15 minutes
3 tbsp (45 ml) neutral oil or ghee
1 large (about 10 oz) (280 g) yellow onion, finely diced
4 cloves (12 g) garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
2 medium (about 10 oz) (280 g) ripe tomatoes, cut into ½-inch (1 cm) dice
1½ tbsp (10 g) Yemeni hawaij spice blend for soup/savory dishes
1 tbsp (16 g) tomato paste
4 cups (660 g) cooked long-grain or basmati rice, cold, preferably day-old, clumps broken up
1½ tsp (7 g) kosher salt
1 chili (10 g) green chili (such as serrano), thinly sliced (optional)
½ cup (15 g) fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
1 lemon (60 g) lemon, cut into wedges

Equipment (4)

12-inch (30 cm) large skillet or wok
Wooden spoon or sturdy spatula
Chef's knife and cutting board
Box grater or fine grater for garlic

Steps

Before you start

Use cold, day-old cooked rice (or cook rice, spread on a tray, and chill 1 hour). Fresh warm rice turns mushy.
Break up any clumps in the cold rice with your hands before you start cooking.
Chop everything first; the stir-frying moves quickly once the pan is hot.
Ground beef with about 15–20% fat gives the best flavor; leaner beef needs the full amount of oil.

1
Brown the beef
- Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a 12-inch (30 cm) skillet or wok over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Add the ground beef and ½ tsp of the salt.
- Press it into an even layer and leave undisturbed for 2 minutes, then break it up with a spoon into small crumbles.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5–6 minutes total.
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Ready when: Beef is no longer pink, with browned edges and no liquid left in the pan; internal temperature reads 160°F (71°C).
Tip: Don't crowd or stir constantly early on; undisturbed contact is what browns the meat.
2
Set beef aside
- Transfer the beef with a slotted spoon to a bowl.
- Leave about 2 tbsp rendered fat in the pan; pour off any excess, or add oil if the pan looks dry.
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Ready when: About 2 tbsp fat remains in the pan.
3
Soften the onion
- Add 1 tbsp fresh oil to the pan and reduce heat to medium.
- Add the diced onion and ¼ tsp salt.
- Cook, stirring every minute, for 6–7 minutes.
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Ready when: Onion is soft, translucent, and golden at the edges.
Tip: If the onion browns too fast or sticks, lower the heat and add a splash of water.
4
Bloom the spices
- Stir in the garlic, hawaij, tomato paste, and green chili (if using).
- Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
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Ready when: The mixture smells strongly of cumin and cardamom and the paste darkens slightly.
Tip: Hawaij scorches quickly; keep stirring and pull the pan off the heat briefly if it smokes.
5
Cook the tomatoes
- Add the diced tomatoes and ¼ tsp salt.
- Raise heat to medium-high and cook, stirring, for 4–5 minutes, pressing the tomatoes lightly with your spoon.
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Ready when: Tomatoes have collapsed into a thick, jammy sauce and the pan is nearly dry.
Tip: Wet tomatoes make soggy rice, so let the juices cook off fully.
6
Return beef
- Return the beef and any juices to the pan and stir for 1 minute so the meat is coated in the tomato-spice mixture.
- Push everything to one side of the pan.
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Ready when: Beef is evenly coated and glossy.
7
Fry the rice
- Add the remaining 1 tbsp oil to the cleared side of the pan.
- Add the cold rice, sprinkle with the remaining ¾ tsp salt, and spread it out.
- Let it sit for 1 minute to crisp, then toss and fold with the beef mixture.
- Continue for 4–5 minutes.
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Ready when: Rice is steaming hot throughout, evenly tinted golden-orange, with some lightly toasted, crisp grains.
Tip: Taste and add a pinch more salt if needed; rice absorbs a lot.
8
Finish and serve
- Turn off the heat.
- Fold in the chopped cilantro.
- Serve right away from the pan with lemon wedges to squeeze over each portion.
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Ready when: Cilantro is bright green and the rice is fragrant.
Tip: Lemon juice at the end brightens the warm spices.

Good to know

Tips

Cold, dry rice is the key to fluffy fried rice; if you only have fresh rice, spread it on a tray and chill it in the fridge for 1 hour.
Cook the tomatoes until the pan is almost dry so the rice fries rather than steams.
Don't skip the lemon; acid balances the warm spices and rich beef.
Serve with yogurt or a spoonful of zhug for a more traditional Yemeni touch.

Make ahead

"Cook the rice up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate it uncovered for the first hour, then covered. You can also dice the onion, tomatoes, and garlic a day ahead and refrigerate separately."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: no more than 2 hours. Fridge: airtight container up to 3 days. Freezer: up to 2 months. Reheat in a skillet over medium heat with a splash of water for 4–5 minutes, or microwave covered until steaming hot (165°F/74°C), stirring halfway."

Substitutions

ground beef (80/20) → ground lamb or ground chicken. Lamb is traditional and richer; chicken is leaner, so use the full 3 tbsp oil and cook to 165°F (74°C).
Yemeni hawaij spice blend for soup/savory dishes → 1 tsp ground cumin, ½ tsp ground turmeric, ½ tsp black pepper, ¼ tsp ground cardamom, plus a pinch of ground cloves. Approximates the savory hawaij blend if you can't find it.
cooked long-grain or basmati rice → cold cooked brown rice. Nuttier and chewier; works well, but may need 1 extra minute of frying.
ripe tomatoes → 1 cup canned diced tomatoes, well drained. Cook an extra minute or two to evaporate moisture.