NYC Halal Truck Lamb Bowl (2024)

What does it mean when meat is halal?

Halal means “permissible” in Arabic, meaning it is accepted under Islamic law. The animal must be slaughtered under certain guidelines and the cuts of meat must not come from forbidden areas like the hindquarters of an animal or forbidden animals like pig.

Ingredients in this lamb platter

• Ground lamb – When buying lamb for this lamb bowl recipe, look for meat that has a soft pink to red coloring, it will be freshest. If you aren’t using your lamb right away unwrap it from the butcher paper and add it to an airtight container and refrigerate. In this recipe I season the lamb with a blend of spices like paprika, cumin, coriander, curry powder, cinnamon, salt and pepper.
• Turmeric – Turmeric both seasons the rice and gives it the bright yellow color. Be careful when cooking with turmeric. It’s known for health benefits and great flavor but can also stain anything it gets on. Lighter colored cooking utensils can be cleaned using two parts hot water to one part bleach or vinegar.
• Basmati rice – Basmati rice is an aromatic long-grain white rice prevelant in many Mediterranean and middle eastern recipes. It has a wonderful aroma but can easily be swapped out for long-grain white rice.
• Greek yogurt – I combine full-fat (5% fat) Greek yogurt with coriander, cumin, white pepper, vinegar and lemon juice. The sauce can be left unseasoned in a pinch.
• Romaine lettuce – I prefer chopped romaine to the finely shredded iceberg lettuce some carts serve. I find it has more crunch and doesn’t wilt as quickl
• Tomatoes – I use cherry tomatoes because they have a thicker skin than diced tomatoes and add a nice texture. The can easily be swapped with diced Roma tomatoes.
• Hot sauce – I use a vinegar-based hot sauce like Crystal Louisiana hot sauce. The acidic vinegar sauce complements the other flavors in the bowl.

Step 1: Make the turmeric rice.

Add the rice, onion, turmeric, cardamom and chicken stock to a medium sauté pan or rice cooker. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, cover the pot and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook until all the water has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Fluff the rice mixture with a fork and season to taste with salt.

Step 2: Season the lamb.

In a large mixing bowl, toss the ground lamb with the shallot, garlic, lemon juice, salt, paprika, cumin, coriander, curry powder, ground cinnamon and black pepper. Be careful not to over mix.

Step 3: Cook the lamb.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the olive oil and heat through. Add the lamb mixture and sauté until golden brown and cooked through. Remove from sauté pan and set aside in a covered bowl until ready to serve.

Step 4: Mix the spiced yogurt sauce.

In a medium bowl whisk together the Greek yogurt with the coriander, cumin, white pepper, salt, vinegar, lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of lukewarm water until completely combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Step 5: Assemble and serve.

Divide the lettuce among 4 bowls. Top each with a scoop of the rice, lamb, tomato, hot sauce and the spiced yogurt sauce. Serve with a side of pita bread.

NYC Halal Truck Lamb Bowl