Quzi (Iraqi and Gulf Slow-Roast Lamb on Spiced Rice)
قوزی (عراق اور خلیج کا آہستہ روسٹ بکرا، مصالحے دار چاولوں پر)
Quzi (also *ouzi*) is the dish of celebration in Iraq and the Gulf: a whole lamb or lamb shoulder slow-cooked with spices until the meat slides off the bone, served on a mountain of fragrant rice studded with peas, almonds and raisins. Traditionally the lamb is stuffed and roasted whole in a pit oven for weddings. This home version uses a lamb shoulder and a rub, braised then roasted, and gives you the same tender meat and festive platter. For Pakistani readers, think kabuli pulao with Arab spices.
- ⏱ Total: 3 hr 55 min
- Prep: 25 min
- Cook: 3 hr 30 min
- Medium
- Serves 6
Method
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Rub the lamb with the baharat, turmeric, garlic and 2 tsp salt. Leave for at least 1 hour, or overnight in the fridge.
Brown the lamb on all sides in 1 tbsp ghee in a large pot. Add the dried limes, cardamom, cinnamon and water, cover and simmer for 2½ hours until very tender.
Lift the lamb onto a tray, brush with 1 tbsp ghee and roast at 220°C for 20–25 minutes until the outside is browned and crisp. Strain and keep the stock.
Meanwhile, fry the onions in the remaining ghee until golden; lift out half for the topping. Add the drained rice and 1 tsp salt, stir for 2 minutes, then add 4½ cups of the stock. Boil, cover and cook on the lowest heat for 15 minutes. Add the peas and cook 5 minutes more.
Fry the almonds and raisins briefly in a little ghee. Pile the rice on a large platter, place the lamb on top and scatter with almonds, raisins and fried onions.
Kitchen notes
A pressure cooker cuts the lamb's cooking time to about 50 minutes.
Chicken quzi is a quicker everyday version: simmer a whole chicken for 40 minutes, then roast.
Some Iraqi cooks stuff the lamb with the spiced rice before roasting; others wrap the rice in thin pastry to make *quzi parcels*.
A dish for celebrations
Quzi is served at Iraqi weddings, Eid lunches and big family gatherings, and similar dishes appear across the Gulf, Syria and Jordan. The traditional version is a whole young lamb, stuffed with spiced rice and nuts and cooked for hours in a pit or bread oven, then presented on a huge platter. It’s a statement of generosity.
Braise, then roast
At home, braising the lamb first in spiced stock makes it meltingly tender, and a short, hot roast at the end crisps the outside. The stock then flavours the rice, so nothing is wasted. Dried limes and baharat give the Iraqi and Gulf character.
The garnish
Peas, almonds, raisins and golden onions make the rice festive and give sweet, crunchy contrast to the rich lamb. Pakistani readers will recognise the idea from kabuli pulao.
Serving
Serve with plain yogurt, a fresh salad and pickles. For other Gulf rice dishes, try chicken mandi, kabsa and machboos, or plan a full menu with our dawat collection.
Questions people ask
Is quzi the same as mandi?
They're close cousins. Mandi is smoky and cooked over the rice in a pit; quzi is braised and roasted, and the rice is garnished with peas, nuts and raisins.
How much should I make for guests?
Plan on about 300–350 g of bone-in lamb per person, plus ½ cup raw rice.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 820
- Protein
- 52 g
- Fat
- 40 g
- Carbs
- 62 g
