Ingredients
F
For the Ground Beef Rice
g
1 lb ground beef
b
1 ½ cups basmati or jasmine rice, rinsed
o
2 tablespoons olive oil
l
2 large onions, sliced
c
8 oz cremini mushrooms, quartered
g
4 garlic cloves, grated
g
1 tablespoon ginger, grated
t
2 tablespoons tomato paste
c
½ teaspoon cumin
c
½ teaspoon coriander
t
½ teaspoon turmeric
c
½ teaspoon curry powder
s
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
c
¼ teaspoon cayenne powder
b
2 bay leaf
g
1 cup green beans, trimmed and cut into 2 1/2 inch strips
w
3 cups water or broth
s
3 scallions, sliced
S
Salt and pepper to taste
F
For the Shirazi Salad
l
2 large tomatoes, diced (1 lb Campari tomatoes)
P
6 Persian cucumbers (1 lb)
r
½ red onion, finely chopped
f
2 tablespoons fresh mint, finely chopped
f
¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
l
2 tablespoons lemon juice
o
2 tablespoons olive oil
S
Salt and pepper to taste
F
For the Garlicky Labne
l
1 cup labne
g
2 garlic cloves, grated
o
2 tablespoons olive oil
S
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1
For the Ground Beef Rice
1
Fry the beef with 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat. Until caramelized. Remove from the pan and set aside.
2
Sauté the onions: In the same pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the sliced onions and cook until golden, about 10 minutes. Add the finely chopped mushrooms to the pot and cook until they are caramelized and browned, about 8-10 minutes.
3
Stir in the grated garlic and ginger and cook for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes to deepen the flavor. Add cumin, coriander, turmeric, curry powder, smoked paprika, chili powder, and the bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper. Stir well to combine the spices with the mixture.
4
Add the ground beef back, along with the rice and green beans to the pot. Stir everything together to coat the rice in the spice mixture. Pour in 3 cups of water or broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the rice sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Sprinkle in the sliced scallions, and fluff the rice gently with a fork.
5
For the Shirazi Salad
1
In a bowl, combine the diced tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, and fresh mint. Drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss everything together and set aside.
2
For the Garlicky Labne
1
In a small bowl, mix the labneh with grated garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
