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Almond Sauce for Rice

An exquisite specialty of Damascus in Syria to serve over 1 1/2 cups rice, cooked by any method for plain rice (pages 337–339).

Recipe information

  • Yield

    serves 4

Ingredients

1/2 cup ground almonds
2 1/2 cups chicken stock (page 143)
Salt and white pepper
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley plus 2 tablespoons to garnish
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Juice of 1 lemon, or more
Pinch of turmeric (optional)

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Mix the almonds and cold stock together in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, season to taste, and add all the other ingredients. A pinch of turmeric may be used to give the sauce an attractive pale-yellow color. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for 20–30 minutes, until the mixture thickens and the ingredients have blended to give a rich, flavorsome sauce.

    Step 2

    Serve ladled over rice, with a sprinkling of chopped parsley.

  2. Variation:

    Step 3

    Add some chicken, cut into small pieces, and 2 tablespoons pine nuts.

Cover of Claudia Roden's The New Book of Middle Easter Food, featuring a blue filigree bowl filled with Meyer lemons and sprigs of mint.
Reprinted with permission from The New Book of Middle Eastern Food, copyright © 2000 by Claudia Roden, published by Knopf. Buy the full book on Amazon or Bookshop.
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