Ruz bi Bazaila is one of those dishes you can pull from your arsenal for any occasion or day of the week. It’s the dish you make on the days you’re totally spent, the days there are children running rampage through your house, or even when you have guests coming over and you need a rice dish to adorn the table with.

Whether you call it Ruz bi Bazaila, Ruz w Bazaalya, or Oozi, this staple that’s eaten across the levant is one that transcends beyond borders. For most of my life, it's been the dinner mama made when she had nothing left to give that day. But as soon as we sat down to the meal we all enjoyed, all the day’s woes were erased. I imagine it’s the same for most of us from the region. Turning a dish born out of convenience and utilising the seasons into a comfort classic that connects our childhoods regardless of where we grew up in the world. You could even say we’re connected by seven spice, a thoroughfare between Palestinian (and its neighbour’s) dishes, and gives its meals a distinctive flair.

An essential part of optimising this meal is choosing the correct sides. Plain yoghurt is a staple, and you’ll find it on every plate of Ruz bi Bazaila and in every home. Funnily however, in our household, my mother who is the genius behind so many of my favourite flavour combinations, always made sure there was a jar of green mango pickle at the table on Ruz bi Bazaila days. It was such a staple with this dish, that only in my teens did I realise that it was a south asian condiment. I think that’s a perfect representation of my Ramadans and the blending of cultures and their dishes that make the month so beautiful. I hope yours is just as beautiful, and I hope you enjoy this comfort meal!

The beauty of this dish is that everything is cooked in one pot. The mince is cooked first, followed by onions, peas, usually lebanese seven spiced, or a blend of everyday spices, and then rice…it’s that simple. Like a pulao, it’s cooked until fluffy and served with plain yoghurt, a simple side salad, your choice of pickles, and it can be a main, or as a side dish.

It’s a perfect, complete meal for a quick Ramadan iftar, and it uses everyday ingredients you don’t have to trek to any specialty food stores to buy. I love peas, and considering british peas are some of the best and always frozen soon after being picked, they add an earthy sweetness that allow for them to stand out here!

Ingredients

450g Minced Lamb
1 White Onion
4tbsp Olive Oil
450g Frozen Garden Peas
2.5 tbsp Lebanese 7 Spice
or
(3 tsp Cinnamon, 1 tsp Allspice,½ tsp Nutmeg, ½ tsp Ground Cloves,½ tsp Ground Ginger)
4tsp Salt
1tsp Black Pepper
250g Basmati Rice
500ml Boiling Water
75g Slivered or Sliced Almonds

Method

Add the minced meat to a medium sized pot, and cook on medium heat
Make sure to break up the minced meat, and cook until most of the moisture released has evaporated
Dice the onion, then add to the meat with the olive oil or ghee
Cook until the onions are softened and translucent
Add the spices, salt and pepper, and cook for a minute for the spices to bloom
Add the peas, mix in well, and turn the heat down to low (the peas will stay frozen and that’s okay!)
Wash the rice three to four times until it drains almost clear
Add the rice into the pot and turn up the heat to high
Mix in the rice until well distributed
Add in the boiling water, and let it come to a boil (it should happen within seconds), then bring the heat to low
Cover the pot with a lid, and keeping it on low, allow to cook for 15 mins
Turn off the heat and leave the pot to sit, covered for 5-10mins, or until the rice is fully cooked, and fluffy
Whilst the rice is cooking, add the almonds to a dry pan, and toast on a medium heat for 5-7 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds
Remove from the pan once golden brown (you’ll know they’re ready because they’ll release a nutty scent!)
Serve the rice and top each plate with a sprinkling of almonds, and enjoy with a side of plain yoghurt, and a hot sauce or pickle of your choice!