Tunisian · Dinner

Rouz Jerbi

The rice of Djerba: steamed rather than boiled, mixed through with lamb, herbs and spinach until it is green and dense. A Sunday dish on the island.

1 hr 50 min prep and cooking plus 30 min soaking 2 hr 20 min start to finish Serves 6 servings Medium
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Rouz Jerbi

Photograph credit: رز جربي by Ovva olfa · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · this resized copy is shared under the same licence

Steaming rather than boiling is what makes this Djerban, and it changes the texture entirely — the grains stay separate and slightly firm rather than swelling soft, which is what lets the rice carry that much herb and meat without turning to porridge. The rice is soaked, drained, mixed raw with everything else, and then steamed as one mass. It takes about an hour and cannot be hurried by adding water.

What People Ask

How long does Rouz Jerbi take to make?

30 minutes of preparation and 1 hour 20 minutes of cooking, plus 30 minutes of soaking, so allow 2 hours 20 minutes from start to finish. The recipe serves 6.

Rouz Jerbi: Step by Step

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  1. Rinse the rice and soak it in cold water for 30 minutes, then drain thoroughly in a sieve.

  2. Fry the onions in 6 tbsp oil for 8 minutes, add the lamb and cook 10 minutes until browned and dry.

  3. Stir in the harissa and tomato purée and fry 2 minutes until the oil runs red, then add the caraway, coriander, turmeric, salt and pepper.

  4. Take off the heat and mix in the drained raw rice, the shredded spinach and all the herbs. Combine thoroughly with your hands.

  5. Line a steamer basket with muslin and tip the mixture in loosely — do not press it down.

  6. Steam over boiling water, covered, for 60 minutes. Fork it through once at the halfway point.

  7. Test a grain: it should be tender but distinct. Finish with the last of the oil and serve with lemon.

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Worth Getting Right

  • Steamed, not boiled. It is the whole character of the dish.
  • Tip it in loosely — packed rice steams unevenly.
  • Fork it through once halfway.

Pairs Well With

Plain yogurt · Slata tounsia · Harissa

Keeping and Reheating

Refrigerated for 3 days. Re-steam rather than microwaving. It freezes for 2 months.

The Numbers per Serving

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central figures (SR Legacy). A calculation, not a laboratory analysis: brands, cuts and how you measure change the real numbers. Garnishes, greasing and other items with no amount are not counted. How the figures are worked out.

641Calories
19gProtein
67gCarbs
33gFat
4gFibre
2gSugar
900mgSodium

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Compiled by Turab

Checked by script for timings, diet labels and nutrition arithmetic. How the recipes are checked. Found a mistake? Tell us.

First published ; last changed .