Lamb Ouzi Jollof Rice

Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). Season the lamb shanks generously with salt, pepper, and a pinch of allspice and cinnamon.

In a large Dutch oven or oven-safe pot, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear the lamb shanks on all sides until browned. Remove from the pot and set aside.

In the same pot, sauté chopped onion, garlic, and ginger until softened. Add diced red bell pepper and scotch bonnet pepper (adjust amount to your spice preference) and cook for another 5 minutes.

Stir in tomato paste, curry powder, dried thyme, allspice, cinnamon, and cloves. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant.

Add diced tomatoes and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer, then return the lamb shanks to the pot. Add chicken broth, ensuring the lamb shanks are mostly submerged.

Cover the pot and transfer to the preheated oven. Slow-roast for 3-4 hours, or until the lamb is very tender and falling off the bone.

While the lamb is roasting, prepare the Jollof rice. Rinse the basmati rice until the water runs clear.

Once the lamb is cooked, remove it from the pot and set aside. Strain the remaining sauce through a fine-mesh sieve, reserving the liquid. Discard the solids.

In a large pot, combine the reserved sauce with the rinsed rice. Add additional chicken broth if needed to ensure the rice is covered by about 1 inch of liquid. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 18-20 minutes, or until the rice is cooked through and the liquid is absorbed.

Fluff the rice with a fork. Shred the lamb from the shanks, discarding the bones. Gently fold the shredded lamb into the Jollof rice.

Garnish with toasted almonds and raisins before serving. Enjoy!