Rice with Green beans

(Original recipe makes 4-5 servings)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups basmati rice
250 g ground beef
4 tbsp. olive oil
½ medium onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves
1 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Salt and black pepper
300 g green beans, cut into 1-inch lengths
3 tbsp. tomato paste
2 tbsp. saffron (optional)
3 tbsp. lemon juice
½ cup water

ِDirections:

In a big saucepan, saute the chopped onions in 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat until tender. Add ground turmeric and stir well. Add the ground beef and cook until it turns browned. Add the green beans, garlic, tomato paste, cinnamon, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and ½ cup water to the meat, and stir well. Let the water come to a boil, reduce the heat, cover the saucepan and let the mixture cook on the stove for 10-12 minutes. After 10 minutes, adjust the seasoning and turn it off.

Cook the rice, drain, and put aside. Click here to see the instructions.

Place a medium non-stick pot over a medium high heat, pour 2 tablespoons olive oil to the bottom of the pot. Add 1/3 of rice to the pot, then, pour ½ of the mixture on the top of the rice. Cover the mixture with the second portion of the rice, layer the second half of mixture of beans and meat, and finish the last layer with the rice. Wrap the lid of the pot with a clean dishcloth and cover the pot completely (It helps to capture the stream that rises up from the rice and doesn’t let it go back into the rice). Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, and let the rice cook for 40 minutes, or until it’s cooked.
Serve the rice in a serving dish and pour saffron (optional) on top.
Serve the dish with your favorite salad or other your favorite side dishes.

My Notes:

• You can also make this delicious rice mixture without adding the meat.