Oven Baked Rice with Lamb and Cauliflower

Soak rice for 30 mins and drain. Combine all spices and gently mix together with wet rice. Allow to sit for 15 mins.

Peel and cut eggplants into 2 cm thick slices, dredge with salt and allow juices to draw. Heat vegetable oil in a pan, pat-dry eggplants and fry on both sides until golden brown.

In a large saucepan, heat oil and fry lamb pieces until golden brown. Add chopped onions and fry for another 5 mins. Add garlic, MAGGI® Chicken Bouillon and water, and simmer over medium heat for 1 hour. Remove lamb and reserve hot stock.

Pour melted butter in the bottom of a Dutch oven or ovenproof pot (a clay pot would work best), layer cauliflower florets on the bottom and cover with half of the rice. Layer the fried eggplants over the rice, place lamb pieces over the eggplant, and cover it.

Pour hot stock over the rice, garnish with fried onion slices and toasted pine seeds. Rice should be covered with stock, if needed, add more water.

Roll out bread dough to a large enough size to cover the top of the rice pot, plus an extra 3 cm hanging over the edge. Place over the pot and gently pinch the edges ensuring a tight seal between pot and dough.

Brush with melted butter and bake in a preheated oven for 45 mins or until the pastry is golden brown.