Eid and wedding feast · Slow roast
Quozi Recipe (Gulf Roast Lamb on Spiced Rice)
Marinate overnight. Low and covered. Blast to finish.
Recipe by Farwa ZeeshanTested in the NineFoods home kitchenQuozi is the showpiece of Gulf feasts: a whole lamb or shoulder slow-roasted until it pulls from the bone, laid over spiced rice with fried nuts and raisins. At home it comes out dry or pale. The fix is an overnight marinade, a long covered roast with stock in the pan, then a short, hot uncovered finish.
The 3 laws of quozi
Why this recipe works
Rub and roast
Spices reach the bone.
Open roast
Steam keeps lamb juicy.
Pale lamb
20 minutes uncovered browns the outside.
Shopping and prep list
Ingredients
Lamb
Rice and garnish
The NineFoods roast gauge
Is the lamb ready to uncover?
After 3.5 hours, test with a fork near the bone.
Method · 4 stages
Step by step
Marinate
- Pierce lamb all over, rub with spices, garlic, lemon, ghee and salt.
- Chill overnight.
Slow roast
- Roast covered tightly with stock in the pan.
- Use the gauge above.
Brown
- Uncover and roast until browned.
Rice
- Fry onion in ghee, add baharat, saffron, rice and 6 cups pan stock.
- Boil, then steam covered 15 minutes; top with lamb, nuts and raisins.
Chef's troubleshooter
What went wrong? Pick the symptom
Why
Uncovered too long or no liquid.
Fix next time
Roast covered with stock and only uncover at the end.
Why
Skipped the hot finish.
Fix next time
Uncover at 220 C for 20 minutes.
Why
Short marinade.
Fix next time
Pierce deeply and marinate overnight.
Why
Too much fat in the stock.
Fix next time
Skim the pan juices before using them.
Swap smart
Ingredient roles and substitutes
| Ingredient | Job in the dish | Swap with |
|---|---|---|
| Lamb shoulder | Feast cut | Leg of lamb, roast 30 minutes less |
| Baharat | Spice | Allspice, pepper, cumin and cinnamon |
| Pan stock | Flavour for rice | Chicken stock |
| Nuts | Garnish | Pine nuts |
After the meal
Serve, store, reheat
Serve with
Salad, yogurt and daqqus on a large platter for sharing.
Store
Fridge 3 days; freeze lamb up to 2 months.
Reheat
Covered in the oven at 160 C with a splash of stock.
How we tested this recipe
Tested in a home kitchen, not a studio
Recipe developed and tested by Farwa Zeeshan, who cooks and tests every NineFoods recipe on a regular home stove.
- Cooked from start to finish with the exact quantities above for 8 servings, using both the metric and US cup measures.
- Every one of the 4 stages was timed at the stove; heat levels and the 'look for' cues are what we saw in the pan.
- The doneness check (is the lamb ready to uncover) and the troubleshooter come from batches that went wrong, and how we fixed them.
- Reheating and storage advice was checked on leftovers, not guessed.
Keep cooking
Related recipes and guides
Quick answers
Quozi FAQ
What is quozi?
A Gulf feast dish of slow-roasted lamb served on spiced rice with nuts and raisins.
Is quozi the same as ouzi?
They are closely related; ouzi is the Levantine version, often wrapped in pastry.
How long does quozi take?
About 4 hours of roasting, plus an overnight marinade.
Which cut is best?
Bone-in lamb shoulder for home cooking.