bazella w riz "peas and rice"

Bazella w riz or Peas and rice is a classic Lebanese recipe and it is very hearty and filling . It is a delicious stew that is easy to prepare, and like any other stew you can’t enjoy it without our famous vermicelli rice dish on the side.

This dish is a mixture of peas, carrots and ground meat in a tomato-based sauce in addition of our Lebanese spices. It is as simple as that. I also have tried it with chunks of lamb and it turned out to be amazing.

Prep.time: 25 mins.

Cooking time: 30 mins.

Serves: 6

INGREDIENTS:

600 gr. Frozen peas

One onion finely chopped

1 garlic clove chopped

4 to 5 carrots peeled

300 gr. Ground beef or lamb cubes

1 tbsp oil

1 tsp butter

2 tbsp tomato paste

1 tsp salt or as desired

1/4 tsp allspice

A dash of cinnamon

The rice:

1 cup rice

1/3 cup vermicelli noodles

1 tbsp oil

2 cups water

1 tsp salt

PREPARATION: put the oil in a medium size pot, add the chopped onions and garlic. Stir over medium heat until sautéed, add the ground beef and keep stirring until they are cooked, sprinkle a dash of salt and allspice over the cooked meat. Cut the carrots to small pieces then add to the mixture and stir for few mins. Add 4 cups of water and bring to boil then add the peas. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 15 mins, mix the tomato paste with one cup of hot water then add to the pot. Season with salt and pepper then add the butter. Stir all the ingredients together to combine then cook again over low heat for another 10 mins, if needed remove the cover while boiling for the sauce to thicken. When using lamb cubes, it takes more time for the meat to be cooked around 35 to 40 mins before adding the carrots and the peas. Serve it warm with our famous vermicelli noodles rice.

How to prepare the rice: wash the rice first very well. In a small cooking pot, put the oil and roast the vermicelli noodles over medium to low heat until golden stirring occasionally preventing it from burning. Add the rice and keep stirring for few mins then add the water and the salt, when it starts boiling turn the heat down to low, cover the pot but not fully. Let it simmer after boiling for 10 to 12 mins. and it is better to keep it covered for 3 to 4 mins before serving. Roasting the noodles before adding the rice adds to it an amazing flavor, that’s why it is served with many meat or stew dishes in our Lebanese cuisine.

If you are in a hurry and you have to prepare something quick and easy go for this simple and delicious dish. Everyone in the family will love it.

ENJOY!!!