Saturday 28/February/2026 – 03:14 PM
The method of making Haneeth in the oven is considered one of the popular recipes that many people love, not only in the Arab Gulf countries, but also in Egypt, where the meat is cooked over low heat for long hours, without being seasoned with many spices in order for it to retain its original taste. Haneeth is served with spiced basmati rice with secret spices that we will explain to you in this report, and thus the recipe for Haneeth is complete with rice and meat, and it can even be prepared with chicken as well.
How to make haneeth in the oven
We present a way to make Haneeth in the oven with a recipe for a luxurious feast sufficient for a family of approximately 4 or 6 people. It can be served during Ramadan feasts due to its wonderful flavor, rich in delicious meat. To prepare Haneeth, these ingredients must be prepared:
- One kilo of bone-in lamb meat from the shoulder or back.
- Coarse salt for seasoning the haneeth.
- 2 cups basmati rice.
- Chopped large onion.
- 5 crushed garlic cloves.
- 2 cubes of meat broth.
- A tablespoon of Haneeth spices.
- A teaspoon of cumin.
- 3 cardamom cloves.
- 3 cloves sticks.
- Cinnamon stick.
- Salt as needed.
- Black pepper.
- Hot water.
- Vegetable oil or ghee.
Steps for making the haneeth in the oven
Preparing Haneeth depends on slow cooking it in the oven, which makes the meat melt off the bone. It is prepared as follows:
- The firewood is lit inside a clay oven or a oven dug into the ground.
- The log is left until it turns into burning red embers without escaping smoke.
- Wash the lamb, drain it, and apply coarse salt on all sides.
- Place a dense layer of Marakh branches over the embers to prevent the meat from burning and give it the famous smoky smell.
- Arrange the meat on top of the markh and cover the meat with a final layer of markh before placing the tandoor cover.
- In the original recipe for preparing haneeth in the oven, the oven is covered with a wet cloth and then the metal lid is placed.
- Wet clay or sand can also be used to completely fill the edges and prevent any speck of steam from escaping, which works to seal the oven.
- Leave the meat in the oven for between two and a half to three hours, depending on the age of the carcass and the size of the pieces.
- Remove the meat from the oven after it is fully cooked and serve with spiced basmati rice.
How to make Haneeth rice
- Place the pot on the fire with ghee or oil and sauté the onions with crushed garlic.
- Onions and garlic are seasoned with meat broth, haneeth spices, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon.
- Stir the ingredients until they smell fragrant, then add salt, black pepper and cumin.
- Pour hot water over the ingredients and leave until it begins to boil, then add the rice.
- Stir the basmati rice and leave it until it is completely cooked, then place it in a serving dish and top it with the haneeth cooked in the oven.
Haneeth spices
For anyone wondering about the Haneeth spices, the Haneeth method in the oven depends on not seasoning at all, but rather using coarse salt only, so that the meat retains its original taste, while spices are added to the basmati rice, thus achieving a balance of flavors between the rice and the meat. Among the basic spices that are placed on the Haneeth rice are the following:
- cardamom.
- clove.
- cinnamon.
- Black pepper.
- Blame me.
- saffron.
- curry.
- cumin.
- turmeric.
