Rice with stew in a skillet

Ingredients

• Canned pork or beef — 1 tin, 550 g
• Basmati rice — 1 cup
• Onion — 1
• Carrot — 1
• Garlic — 4 cloves
• Imeretian saffron (marigold) — ½ tsp
• Cumin seeds — to taste
• Salt — to taste
• Ground black pepper — to taste
• Boiling water — 250 ml
• Fresh herbs (dill, parsley) — to serve

Method

1. Rinse the rice several times until the water runs clear, drain in a sieve and leave for at least 10 minutes to let the excess water drip off.
2. Slice the onion into feathers, cut the carrot into batons and finely chop the garlic. Steep the saffron in 100 ml of boiling water for 10 minutes. Grind the cumin in a mortar.
3. Pour the meat juices from the tin into a separate cup, spoon off the fat and set it aside. Transfer the meat to a bowl and break it into small pieces with a fork.
4. Heat a large heavy-bottomed pan well and add the reserved fat, or 1–2 tablespoons of oil. Sauté the onion for 5–7 minutes, stirring, then add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.
5. Add the carrot and sauté for 3 minutes. Add the rice, raise the heat slightly above medium and fry, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes.
6. Place the meat on top, season with salt and pepper, add the cumin and the saffron infusion. Do not stir.
7. Pour in about 150 ml of boiling water and the reserved meat juices — the liquid should barely cover the rice. Reduce the heat to low, cover tightly and cook for 10 minutes.
8. Turn off the heat, wrap the pan in a towel and leave for 10 minutes, then gently stir everything together.