Palestinian Qidra with Rice and Lamb
Qidra is rice cooked with lamb, chickpeas and whole garlic in a sealed clay pot — the name comes from the pot itself. The secret is that everything goes in raw, the pot is sealed and left alone with no stirring at all, so the rice drinks the lamb broth as it cooks.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 90 min
- Total
- 115 min
- Calories
- 620
Qidra is the famous dish of Hebron, made for occasions. Traditionally it was sent to the village's communal oven to cook for hours at a steady heat — the home version imitates that with a heavy pot and very low heat.
Method
-
1
Cook the lamb
Simmer the lamb with the onion, cardamom and cinnamon in water to cover for an hour until tender, skimming the foam in the first ten minutes.
⏱ 60 min -
2
Strain the broth
Strain the broth and keep it — this is what the rice will cook in. The broth is half the flavour, and plain water gives bland rice.
⏱ 5 min -
3
Layer the pot
Put the lamb in the base of a heavy pot, then the soaked chickpeas and the whole unpeeled garlic cloves. Unpeeled garlic softens and sweetens without scorching.
⏱ 6 min -
4
Rice and spices
Drain the soaked rice and spread it on top, scatter over the cumin, turmeric, baharat and salt, and dot the surface with ghee.
⏱ 5 min -
5
Pour the broth
Pour the hot broth gently down the side until it stands one and a half centimetres above the rice. Do not stir at all — the layers are deliberate.
⏱ 3 min -
6
Cook sealed
Cover the pot tightly, with a cloth under the lid, and cook over very low heat for forty-five minutes. The trapped steam does the cooking.
⏱ 45 min -
7
Invert
Let the pot rest ten minutes covered, then invert it onto a large platter in one movement, so the lamb sits on top. Scatter with the nuts.
⏱ 12 min
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Tips that actually matter
- No stirring. The layers are the recipe — lamb below, rice above, and the broth moving down between them.
- The garlic goes in unpeeled: it softens and sweetens, where peeled cloves scorch and turn the dish bitter.
- A cloth under the lid absorbs condensation and stops it dripping onto the rice.
- Broth, not water. If the broth runs short, top it up with hot water, never cold.
People also ask
Why is the rice on top undercooked?
Not enough broth, or the lid was not tight. The broth stands one and a half centimetres above the rice, and the cloth under the lid traps the steam.
Can I use beef?
Yes, though lamb is the original and gives a richer broth. With beef, choose bone-in cuts for the sake of the broth.
What is the difference between qidra and maqluba?
Maqluba contains fried vegetables such as aubergine or cauliflower; qidra has chickpeas and whole garlic. Both are inverted at serving.
Can I make it in an ordinary pot?
Yes — what matters is a heavy base and a tight lid. Clay holds a steadier heat, but a heavy pot comes close.
Cook mode
Palestinian Qidra with Rice and Lamb
-
1
Cook the lamb
Simmer the lamb with the onion, cardamom and cinnamon in water to cover for an hour until tender, skimming the foam in the first ten minutes.
-
2
Strain the broth
Strain the broth and keep it — this is what the rice will cook in. The broth is half the flavour, and plain water gives bland rice.
-
3
Layer the pot
Put the lamb in the base of a heavy pot, then the soaked chickpeas and the whole unpeeled garlic cloves. Unpeeled garlic softens and sweetens without scorching.
-
4
Rice and spices
Drain the soaked rice and spread it on top, scatter over the cumin, turmeric, baharat and salt, and dot the surface with ghee.
-
5
Pour the broth
Pour the hot broth gently down the side until it stands one and a half centimetres above the rice. Do not stir at all — the layers are deliberate.
-
6
Cook sealed
Cover the pot tightly, with a cloth under the lid, and cook over very low heat for forty-five minutes. The trapped steam does the cooking.
-
7
Invert
Let the pot rest ten minutes covered, then invert it onto a large platter in one movement, so the lamb sits on top. Scatter with the nuts.
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