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Roz me'ammar
Roz me'ammar: Delta rice baked slowly in a clay pot with milk, cream and butter until set and golden
Village kitchens across the Nile Delta, from Menoufia to Sharqia, slide a clay pot of roz me'ammar into the bread oven for feasts, Fridays and Eid lunch. Short-grain rice bakes slowly in milk, cream and butter until it sets into a soft, rich block with a crisp, golden-brown crust on top that everyone fights over. In the Delta it usually comes with roast pigeon or duck; for a meat-free table it is just as good with a sharp salad, pickles and a dish of mish. Stirring it once it is in the oven is the mistake to avoid: it breaks the crust and makes the rice gluey. Chef's tip: use Egyptian or other round, short-grain rice; long-grain rice will not drink up the milk the same way.
- Total time
- 115 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 14 oz Egyptian short-grain riceor another round, short-grain rice
- 3 ¾ cups whole milk
- ¾ cup double creamor Egyptian ishta
- 2 ⅛ oz butteror ghee (samna)
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar (optional)some Delta cooks add it, others don't
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan). Rinse 14 oz Egyptian short-grain rice in several changes of cold water until it runs almost clear, then soak it for 15 minutes and drain.
15 minStep 2: Heat 3 ¾ cups whole milk with 1 ½ tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar if using, and half of 1 oz butter in a saucepan until steaming and the butter has melted. Don't let it boil over.
5 minStep 3: Grease a 2 litre clay pot or deep ovenproof dish with a little of the remaining butter. Spread the rice in it and pour the hot milk over.
Step 4: Bake uncovered, without stirring, until the rice has absorbed most of the milk and a skin has formed.
45 minStep 5: Pour ¾ cup double cream evenly over the surface and dot with the rest of 1 oz butter.
1 minStep 6: Return to the oven until set and deep golden brown on top, with a little butter bubbling at the edges. If it browns too fast, lay foil loosely over it.
45 minStep 7: Let it stand for 10 minutes before serving so it firms up, then scoop it out with plenty of crust on each portion.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 520 kcal
- Protein
- 11 g
- Carbs
- 60 g
- Fat
- 26 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does roz me'ammar take?
- About 115 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 100 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of egyptian short-grain rice?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of whole milk?
- Semi-skimmed milk with 1 tbsp cream per 240ml (1 cup).
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