Yekawe — Rice with Qawirme, Raisins and Dates

Name: Yekawe — Rice with Qawirme, Raisins and Dates
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 75 min
Total time: 100 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 400 g long-grain rice (basmati); water for washing and soaking, as needed; 0.25 tsp saffron threads; 3 tbsp hot water; 2 piece onions; 4 tbsp clarified butter; 250 g Qawirme (see recipe Qawirme — Lamb Preserved in Its Own Fat; or 300 g boneless lamb shoulder in small cubes, fried through completely in 2 tbsp oil); 80 g raisins; 100 g dates (pitted); 0.5 tsp black pepper (ground); 2 l water for parboiling; 1.5 tbsp salt

A Kurdish classic from Sanandaj and Mahabad in northwestern Iran: Yekawe is an old festive pilaf from Sanandaj, Hawraman and Mariwan, in which fluffy basmati rice is layered with Qawirme, golden-brown onions, raisins and dates and slowly steamed. In Persian it is called Yekaveh. The preserved lamb gives it a deep, savoury flavour and the fruit a gentle sweetness, saffron turns some of the grains golden, and a crisp rice crust forms on the bottom of the pot, which is served in pieces on the platter too.

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Cook time

100 min

🍽️

Servings

🧂

Ingredients

View Original ↗

Nutrition

per serving

857 kcal

Calories

23 g

Protein

34 g

Fat

113 g

Carbs

Ingredients

For 4 servings

Instructions

1
Wash the rice in a bowl of cold water, stirring it with your fingers, and pour off the cloudy water; repeat until the water stays almost clear. Cover the rice with fresh water and leave to soak.
2
Meanwhile, crumble the saffron threads between your fingertips into a small bowl, pour over the hot water and leave to steep. Peel and halve the onions and cut them into thin half-rings; quarter the dates lengthways.
3
Heat 2 tbsp clarified butter in a frying pan and fry the onions over a medium heat, stirring frequently, until golden brown.
4
Add the Qawirme with its fat, pull larger pieces apart with two forks and fry, stirring, until it is piping hot throughout. Add the raisins, dates, pepper and 1 tbsp saffron water, toss for 2 minutes until the raisins plump up, and take the pan off the heat.
5
Bring the water for parboiling to a rolling boil with the salt in a large pot. Drain the rice, tip it in and boil uncovered until the grains are soft on the outside but still have a firm core; stir carefully from time to time.
6
Drain the rice in a sieve and rinse it briefly with lukewarm water. Rinse out and dry the pot, add 2 tbsp clarified butter and 2 tbsp water and cover the bottom with a thin layer of rice.
7
Layer the rice and the meat and fruit mixture alternately on top, shaping a mound towards the centre and finishing with rice. Use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke five holes down to the bottom so that the steam can rise, and drizzle the remaining saffron water over the top.
8
Heat the pot uncovered over a medium heat until it sizzles softly at the bottom and steam rises from the holes.
9
Wrap the lid in a clean tea towel and tie the corners together at the top around the handle so that they don't hang down onto the hob. Put the lid on tightly and steam the rice over the lowest heat until the grains are completely tender and a golden-brown crust has formed on the bottom.
10
Lift the lid away from your body, as hot steam will escape. Use a flat spoon to heap the rice loosely onto a large round platter with the golden saffron grains on top, then loosen the crust from the bottom of the pot in pieces with a spatula and add it to the platter.
11
Tip: Mast û xiyar — Cucumber Yogurt with Mint and Zelateya kurdî — Tomato, Cucumber and Onion Salad with Sumac go well with it. Instead of lamb, Qawirme made from beef neck works too, and if you prefer less sweetness, use only the raisins and leave out the dates. Cool leftovers quickly, put them in the fridge within two hours at the latest, eat them within a day and reheat them covered with a splash of water until everything is steaming hot throughout.