The Fakhid maa riz (literally “lamb leg with rice”), a festive Lebanese dish served during large family gatherings: a roasted lamb leg on a bed of spiced rice.
Although Fakhid Maa Riz is not specifically considered a traditional Christmas dish in Middle Eastern Christian or Catholic communities, it can certainly be prepared at home for special occasions because it is a very appreciated dish and representative of Middle Eastern cuisine. Therefore, it is included in the feature Christmas Around the World.
In Middle Eastern countries with Christian communities (such as Lebanon, Syria, Palestine), Christmas dishes are often more linked to traditional recipes of the festivity, like:
• Maqluba (a flipped rice dish with meat and vegetables)
• Sweets like baklava or maamoul.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 10 Minutes
- Cooking methods: Stove
- Cuisine: Lebanese
Ingredients
- 3.3 lbs lamb leg
- 1 onion
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 pods cardamom
- 3 cloves
- 4 cups beef broth
- to taste nutmeg
- to taste ground turmeric
- to taste whole peppercorns
- 2 tbsps clarified butter
- 2 cups rice (long grain)
- to taste parsley
- to taste salt and pepper
Steps
1. Prepare the lamb leg:
Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.
Sear the lamb leg well on all sides until it turns golden brown (about 10 minutes).
Add the chopped onion and garlic, cook until they are soft and translucent.
2. Add spices and broth:
Add cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, peppercorns, turmeric, and nutmeg.
Pour in the beef broth and adjust the salt.
Cover and let cook on low heat for about 1 hour, until the meat is tender.
3. Prepare the rice:
Rinse the rice several times until the water runs clear, then soak it for 30 minutes.
Drain the rice well.
4. Final cooking:
Remove the lamb leg from the pot and set it aside.
Add the clarified butter to the cooking liquid, bring to a boil.
Add the rice, mix well, then cover (add more water if necessary, the rice should be completely covered) and cook on very low heat for about 20 minutes, until the rice has absorbed all the liquid.
Place the lamb leg back on top of the rice to warm it up for a few minutes before serving.
Lay the lamb leg on the bed of rice, garnish with fresh parsley.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Is fakhid maa riz the same as Khuzi, Ghuzi, and Ouzi?
Fakhid maa Riz is not exactly the same as Khuzi, Ghuzi, or Ouzi, although they are all Arabic dishes tied to Middle Eastern cuisine and share some basic ingredients like meat and rice.
• Fakhid maa Riz generally refers to a spiced rice dish accompanied by dried or fresh fruit.
• Khuzi, Ghuzi, Ouzi are different names for a traditional, very rich Arabic dish: spiced rice, meat (usually lamb or chicken), often with dried fruits and nuts, wrapped or served with thin filo dough or bread, used for special occasions.
Thus, Fakhid maa Riz can be a broader and simpler concept, while Khuzi (or Ouzi) is a more specific and complex preparation, typical for celebrations and weddings.Is fakhid Maa Riz the same as kabsa or mandi?
Compared to Kabsa and Mandi, Fakhid Maa Riz is a simpler and more specific Middle Eastern dish.
Fakhid Maa Riz is mainly a preparation of chicken or lamb leg served with spiced rice, but it’s not an “integrated” rice dish like kabsa or mandi.
• The leg is generally cooked separately with spices and then accompanied by rice.
• The rice is not necessarily cooked together with the meat, but rather served as a side, with a less complex aromatic profile than kabsa.
Mandi and Kabsa are complete dishes with meat and rice cooked together or in a very integrated process, while Fakhid Maa Riz is more a combination of spiced meat with aromatic rice.
• Kabsa = rice and meat dish cooked together, very spiced and complex.
• Mandi = smoked meat (underground cooking) served with simpler aromatic rice.
• Fakhid Maa Riz = spiced leg accompanied by aromatic rice, a simpler and more direct dish.
In the video, the preparation of chicken mandi during the desert excursion in Sinai, during my trip to Sharm El Sheikh in February 2026:
