439. Iraqi Meat Hamees

Pressure cookers are great for this sort of dish which requires hours of boiling, as they can reduce the cooking time drastically. Maybe some day I might be able to get over my fear of them and start enjoying what they have to offer. If you have a pressure cooker, by all means use it (but be careful!).

Keeping in mind that most households each have their own various versions, Hamees (حميس) differs from Habeet on a couple of small points. The most important of which is the quantity of liquid.
Hamees should barely have a fingers' width of broth left by the time it is served.
Secondly, the spices used in hamees are kept to a minimum. I alternate between using 7 spices, OR madras curry powder (plus salt of course).
Hamees is one of those peasant dishes that are rather unfeminine to eat in public and yet you wish you could because of how delicious it is.

Ingredients:

1 kg lamb meat on bone
2 medium onions, sliced
1 tsp Madras curry
3 cardamom pods
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp salt

Method:

Boil the meat shanks and onion and cardamom pods for a good 2 or 3 hours until the water is reduced to a quarter.
Strain the meat from its broth (do not discard the broth) and transfer to a hot pan with a little oil.
Sear on all sides to a golden brown.
Sprinkle with the madras curry powder, salt, and pepper; sear for a bit longer.
Return the seared and spiced meat to its original pot with the broth, return to a boil.
Simmer an additional 30 to 45 minutes until there is just a fingers' width of broth left.
Serve with some rice.

صحة و عافية