Serves 4 - 6
Ingredients:
1 beef trotter (chopped into big chunks)
1 onion (whole)
2 tsp minced garlic
1 cup Egyptian rice (washed, drained)
1 cup fresh tomato juice
2 tbsp white vinegar
2 baladi loaves (squared, drizzled with some olive oil)
Olive oil (to drizzle)
30 gm butter
Salt + pepper + small cinnamon stick + 4 cardamom pods + 2 bay leaves
Method:
Into a large pot with boiling water, add the whole, peeled onion. Add trotter chunks. When froth collects on top, remove by a ladling spoon; until no more is collected. Add salt, pepper and herbs. Allow to cook; over medium-high heat; until done. Remove away from heat. Remove from pot by means of a slotted spatula. In one layer; place them in an oven-proof dish, the base of which drizzled with some olive oil. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper on top of trotter chunks. Drizzle some olive oil. Cover and roast in a preheated oven at 200 degrees C. Uncover for final ten minutes; until golden and slightly crunched on top; (approximately 45 minutes). Place squares of baladi loaves in a baking tray and roast in the oven; aside of trotter. Remove when golden and leave aside. Meanwhile, cook the rice the usual fluffed way. Strain the broth. To make the sauce: Add butter into a small saucepan. When melted, stir in garlic until slightly golden. Add vinegar and tomato juice. Bring to a boil. Allow to cook; simmer to thicken and reduce. In a wide serving dish with sides around edges, add a layer of half the quantity of roasted bread squares. Then top with half the rice quantity. Add an amount of hot broth over both bread and rice; enough to soak only. Drizzle half the red sauce quantity on top. Repeat layers in the same order with remaining ingredients. Top with oven roasted trotter chunks and serve immediately.
* A version of this article appears in print in the 21 March, 2024 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly
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