Kaware' (cow's trotter soup with fatta)

Step 1: Scrub 4 ⅜ lb beef trotters under cold running water and rub them all over with 1 lemon. Look for any remaining hairs and singe them off over a gas flame or scrape them with a knife.

Step 2: Put the pieces in a large pot, cover with cold water and bring to the boil. Boil hard for 10 minutes, then drain and rinse the pieces and the pot. Skipping this blanching is the classic mistake; it is what keeps the broth clean and free of a strong smell.

Step 3: Return the trotters to the clean pot with 4 litres of fresh water, 2 onions, 1 garlic, 6 green cardamom pods, 3 bay leaves, 1 tsp black peppercorns, 2 mastic and 2 tsp of 2 tsp salt. Bring to the boil and skim off any foam.

Step 4: Cover and simmer over a low heat for 3–3½ hours, topping up with boiling water if the level drops below the meat, until the skin and tendons are soft and sticky and the meat pulls easily from the bones.

Step 5: Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a saucepan, add 10 ½ oz short-grain rice and stir for 1 minute. Add 500 ml of the trotter broth, cover and cook over the lowest heat for 15 minutes until tender.

Step 6: For the sauce, warm the rest of 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a small pan over a medium heat, add 6 garlic cloves and fry for 1 minute until golden. Pour in 4 tbsp white vinegar (it will sizzle), add ½ tsp ground cumin, the rest of ½ tsp salt and 6 tablespoons of broth and simmer for 2 minutes.

Step 7: To serve, put the toasted 2 Egyptian flatbread in a deep dish, moisten it with a few ladles of hot broth and half the garlic-vinegar sauce, then cover with the rice and spoon over the rest of the sauce.

Step 8: Top with the trotter pieces and serve the remaining broth in bowls on the side, piping hot, with lemon if you like.