Serves 6

for the rice:
2 cups long-grain rice
¼ cup salt
1½ l water
1 cup cold water
4 tsp melted butter
salt, pepper
sumac
possibly 50 g raisins

for the kababs:
½ cup vegetable oil
¼ cup lemon juice
2 cloves of garlic (crushed)
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
6 bay leaves
1 kg lamb
4 small tomatoes
2 green peppers
2 small aubergines

For the kababs, make a marinade from vegetable oil, lemon juice, crushed cloves of garlic, salt, pepper and bay leaves. Cut the lamb into cubes, place in the marinade and put in a cool place for 4 - 5 hours.

Halve the tomatoes, clean the peppers, cut into squares, cut the aubergines into cubes.

Put the marinated meat and the vegetables alternately onto skewers and coat with the marinade. Fry or grill for 5 minutes on each side. Do not start to grill the meat until the rice is nearly ready.

Soap the unwashed rice for 2 hours in salted water. Bring approx. 1.5 l water to the boil in a large saucepan. Drain the rice thoroughly, then pour into the boiling water, stir and boil for about 5 minutes without the lid on.

Drain the rice through a strainer and possibly mix in the raisins. Put 1 cup cold water and melted butter in the saucepan, add the rice, shape to form a slight dome. Cover with silver foil and put the lid on.

Cook for 15 to 20 min over a medium heat until the rice is soft and has absorbed all the liquid.

Chelo is traditionally served in individual portions. Place the rice on a plate and a make a dip in the middle. Put a knob of butter in the dip and scatter salt, pepper and sumac (an acid Persion spicy made from the fruit of a nonpoisonous type of the sumac or staghorn tree). Serve the skewers of meat on the rice.