Mishmishiyya (Apricot-Style Meat)

Ingredients

• fresh tail fat (alya)
• fatty meat
• lean red meat
• sweet almonds (lawz)
• spice mix
• cinnamon stick (dārṣīnī)
• vinegar (khall)
• saffron (zaʿfarān)
• rosewater

Instructions

1. Render tail fat, discard cracklings; add small-cut fatty meat and stir until it colors. Add water to cover, a little salt and a cinnamon stick.
2. Pound lean red meat fine, shape into apricot-shaped kubab each holding a peeled sweet almond.
3. When the meat boils and is skimmed, add the kubab and dust with dried coriander, cumin, mastic, cinnamon and ginger.
4. When the liquid dries and fat remains, sprinkle a little vinegar for a light sauce.
5. Temper pounded sweet almonds with water, color with saffron, stir in, adjust seasoning, sprinkle rosewater, settle over the fire and take up.