This Caribbean style lamb fried rice is so delicious, fragrant and made with the right balance of seasoning and flavours. Bite sized pieces of meat are seared until tender and tossed with brown rice and vegetables.
I love when a recipe just falls into place, not only it is such a relief but it's like a win for team Charla and that is what happened with this recipe that I made.
I don't think I've made many fried rice recipes especially one that with made with lamb.
Ingredients you will need
To pressure cook the meat - yes or no?
That's the million dollar question, when I first tested this recipe, I tried making it without pressure cooking and with pressure cooking.
Pressure cooking meant that the seasoning was added in two batches. Half for pressure cooking and that other half for when I pan fried the meat.
Without pressure cooking, I simply marinated the meat then seared the meat and added the rice and vegetables etc...
I've come to the conclusion that this recipe actually works best if the meat chopped into small, as in bite size pieces and then marinated.
As long as the meat is chopped into very small bite size pieces then this will hasten the actual cooking time.
Tenderizing the meat
If you're still on the fence about the texture of the meat, then you can tenderize the meat to give yourself even more reassurance.
You can do this a number of ways
- Use a meat pallet to hit the meat - I usually do this on a chopping board with some saran/cling film covering the meat so it acts as a barrier.
- Fruit juice - I did this in my Air Fryer Steak recipe, pineapple or papaya works best, the enzymes help to breakdown the proteins.
The steps
- Place the meat in a large bowl and then proceed to add all of the ingredients that have been listed to marinate the meat.
- Use your hands/tongs to work the seasoning into the meat, cover it with wrap and leave to marinate overnight or for several hours.
- Heat some olive oil on medium heat in a skillet/frying pan.
- Add the marinated meat and proceed to sear the meat then add the browning sauce.
- Add a splash of warm water and reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid and continue to cook the meat until tender (mine took 45 minutes, although the time will vary depending the part of lamb you're using).
- Half way through cooking the lamb, add the tomato paste, also keep an eye on the meat and add a splash of water if the liquid starts to evaporate.
- Once the meat is cooked, add the scallion, red onion, garlic and hot sauce (if using) then saute until soft and translucent.
- Add the vegetables to the pan, check there is enough liquid in the pan, if not add a splash more, then cover the pan and allow the vegetables to lightly steamed until they begin to soften (this will take several minutes).
- Finally add the cold brown rice and proceed to combine with the meat/vegetables then fold in the turmeric for colour.
- Do a taste test and season with additional pink salt/garlic granules, black pepper, you can add a little organic soy(a) or coconut amino if required.
Frequently asked questions
Goat takes a long time to cook so unless you plan on pressure cooking the meat before marinating it then no I wouldn't recommend using it.
No, it's not extremely spicy at all. The hot sauce that is used is a very small amount but you can omit it if you want to.
I haven't tried making it in my instant pot.........yet so I don't have the instructions to do so.
Notes and tips
- Make sure the rice that you are using is extremely cold, have it chilled in the refrigerator up until you are ready to use it.
- Use these guidelines on How to Fix Rice, should your rice be too soggy or so fourth.
- When adding the water you don't need too much. I refer to it as a splash, because the amount you need will vary which is why I purposely haven't given the amount.
- When re-heating the lamb, if the lamb looks dry, simply sprinkle some water over the top of the lamb and this will rehydrate the dish
- Save yourself a bunch of time by chopping/peeling the vegetables when you are marinating the meat.
- This recipe serves up to 6 people
- You will want the leaner parts of the lamb for this recipe - legs/shoulder. The parts that wont have much fat or you will need to trim it off.
- For enhanced flavour I recommend using my Homemade Mutton Stock to make the rice with.
- This is the link to make the Brown Rice and the Green Seasoning.
- It's very important that the meat is chopped into very very small pieces.
- For a low carb version, use Cauliflower Rice instead
- Make sure you are using meat that is boneless for this recipe.
- Tenderize the meat using juice or a meat hammer, as mentioned in the recipe post.
- Any leftovers can be refrigerated and consumed within a few days or alternatively, freeze it.
Other meat dishes you will like
- Jamaican Curry Goat
- Lamb Chilli Con Carne
- Slow Cooker Lamb Stew
- Mutton Soup
- Jamaican Stew Beef
- Jamaican Curry Chicken
- Guyanese Chow Mein
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Lamb Fried Rice (Caribbean Style)
Ingredients
To marinate the meat
- 1½ lb lamb (680g) chopped into very small pieces (very important)
- 4 tablespoon green seasoning (60g) heaped, see the notes for recipe
- 1 teaspoon allspice (5g) pimento, ground
- 1 teaspoon turmeric (5g)
- 1 teaspoon nutmeg (5g) ground
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon (5g) ground
- 1 teaspoon cardamom (5g) ground
- 1 teaspoon coriander (5g) ground
- 1 teaspoon ginger (5g) ground
- 8 sprigs of thyme stems removed or 1 teaspoon of dried
- 2 teaspoon shado beni or fresh culantro/spirit weed/coriander (optional)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper (5g)
- 1½ teaspoon pink salt (7g)
For stir frying
- 4 cups brown rice (780g) cold and cooked
- 1-2 tablespoon browning sauce (15-30g) see like for recipe, use 1 teaspoon if you are using the store brought kind
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste (30g)
- 1 red onion sliced
- 3 scallion sliced
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 red bell pepper chopped
- 1 cho cho/christophine chopped (can use zucchini/courgette)
- 1 cup pumpkin (116g) or butternut squash, chopped
- 1 cup leafy green (40g) tightly packed, i.e callaloo, kale or spinach
- ½ teaspoon turmeric (3g)
- hot sauce to taste optional
- pink salt/garlic granules/ black pepper to taste
- organic soy(a) or coconut amino optional
- warm water see notes
- 2-3 tablespoon olive or coconut oil (30-45g)
Instructions
For marinating the meat
- Place the meat in a large bowl and then proceed to add all of the ingredients that have been listed to marinate the meat.
- Use your hands/tongs to work the seasoning into the meat, cover it with wrap and leave to marinate overnight or for several hours.
To cook the lamb/rice and vegetables
- Heat some olive oil on medium heat in a skillet/frying pan.
- Add the marinated meat and proceed to sear the meat then add the browning sauce.
- Add a splash of warm water and reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid and continue to cook the meat until tender (mine took 45 minutes, although the time will vary depending the part of lamb you're using).
- Half way through cooking the lamb add the tomato paste, also keep an eye on the meat and add a splash of water (not too much) if the liquid starts to evaporate.
- Once the meat is cooked, add the scallion, red onion, garlic and hot sauce (if using) then saute until soft and translucent.
- Add the vegetables to the pan, check there is enough liquid in the pan, if not add a splash more, then cover the pan and allow the vegetables to lightly steamed until they begin to soften (this will take several minutes).
- Finally add the cold brown rice and proceed to combine with the meat/vegetables then fold in the turmeric for colour.
- Do a taste test and season with additional pink salt/garlic granules black pepper, you can add a little organic soy(a) or coconut amino if required.
Video
Notes
- Make sure the rice that you are using is extremely cold, have it chilled in the refrigerator up until you are ready to use it.
- Use these guidelines on How to Fix Rice, should your rice be too soggy or so fourth.
- When adding the water you don't need too much. I refer to it as a splash, because the amount you need will vary which is why I purposely haven't given the amount.
- When re-heating the lamb, if the lamb looks dry, simply sprinkle some water over the top of the lamb and this will rehydrate the dish
- Save yourself a bunch of time by chopping/peeling the vegetables when you are marinating the meat.
- This recipe serves up to 6 people
- You will want the leaner parts of the lamb for this recipe - legs/shoulder. The parts that wont have much fat or you will need to trim it off.
- For enhanced flavour I recommend using my Homemade Mutton Stock to make the rice with.
- This is the link to make the Brown Rice and the Green Seasoning.
- It's very important that the meat is chopped into very very small pieces.
- For a low carb version, use Cauliflower Rice instead
- Make sure you can using meat that is boneless for this recipe.
- Tenderize the meat using juice or a meat hammer, as mentioned in the recipe post.
- Any leftovers can be refrigerated and consumed within a few days or alternatively, freeze it.
Emmi
Good innovative recipe with brown rice. Also, i got an additional kitchen tip of tenderizing the meat with pineapple juice or papaya juice. I would like to try low carb cauliflower version if this.
Charla
Sounds like a great idea!
Beth
I love this idea! The flavors look amazing and so delicious! My family is really going to enjoy this recipe!
Charla
Thanks Beth. Yes they will most definitely enjoy it.
Laura
Yum! So many great flavors in one pot. This rice is really versatile too. I served it as a main one night and had it as a side for another meal this week.
Charla
Thanks for the feedback Laura
Pam Greer
I thought I had tried all the possible fried rice dishes out there! I can't wait to give this lamb one a try, we love lamb at our house!
Charla
Yes, that's what I like to hear Pam.
Sue
This is a new spin on fried rice that I can't wait to try!
Charla
Thanks Sue, you will love it!
Lisa | Garlic & Zest
What I love about Caribbean cooking is the bevy of spices and flavors that tickle your tongue. This lamb fried rice certainly has that! Going to give it a go this weekend.
Charla
Thanks Lisa, I hope you enjoy when you make it.