Jaj mahshi rice stuffed rooster often known as dajaj mahshi is an Arab dish that makes for a beautiful and scrumptious centerpiece on any dinner desk. This meal is usually made for particular events and gatherings. It has a phenomenal presentation, and the mixture of succulent, flavorful rooster and fragrant, fluffy rice is a winner with many. Serve it with some yogurt and salad for an genuine Arab meal.
You’ll discover this dish made all through areas of the Middle East, all with their distinctive tackle it. This recipe is my mama’s way- the Palestinian method of rice-stuffed rooster, Jaj Mahshi.
How to make Djaj Mahshi:
I’ll begin by admitting I used to be intimidated to make a Jaj mahshi rice stuffed rooster for the longest time. The considered cooking an entire rooster frightened me, particularly for company. Thoughts of, what if it isn’t cooked by means of? What if the rice is soggy? Is it flavorful sufficient? All these ideas bumped into doubts in my thoughts, however with Mama’s steerage, I used to be assured, and it turned out wonderful. I felt the identical method about cooking an entire leg of lamb, however now it’s considered one of my favourite recipes to make for a gathering and so scrumptious.
Save This Recipe
Enter your electronic mail deal with and we’ll ship it straight to your inbox.
The rooster marinade:
To create a paste, the rooster is marinated in a number of spices, lemon juice, and olive oil.
- 7 Spice – provides the wealthy and heat fragrant flavors of the Middle East all through this dish. You will discover it in each element, from the rice to the meat to the rooster marinade.
- Smoked Paprika– not solely does this add a smokey taste, however it is usually such a beautiful colour to the rooster’s exterior.
- Garlic Powder– I exploit this in nearly all my savory recipes as I’m an enormous fan of garlic. It works very properly with rooster.
- Turmeric– provides a phenomenal tint to the colour and taste, together with dietary advantages.
- All-purpose poultry seasoning– you will discover this in all supermarkets. It’s an all-in-one seasoning for something rooster.
- Salt & pepper– the jewels of all seasoning and an absolute should right here.
These spices are mixed with olive oil and lemon juice to create a paste that can be rubbed onto and into the rooster for optimum taste.

Hashweh (Rice & meat filling)
Hashweh is the arab phrase for stuffing or, on this case, the rice and minced meat fragrant filling that can be within the cavity of the rooster. Hashweh can be wonderful if you would like a stand-alone, extra-flavorful rice dish. I’ve a variation on my weblog that you would be able to take a look at here. For this rooster full of rice recipe, the stuffing could be very easy however efficient in taste.
- The rice and floor beef can be seasoned with seven spice, salt, and pepper.
- The floor beef is damaged down finely and cooked with onions earlier than including within the soaked rice.
- Add the cooking liquid, water, or inventory, and let it simmer till the rice is cooked 3/4 of the way in which by means of.
- Stir in toasted slivered almonds or pine nuts, and the Jaj mahshi filling is full.
Another customary stuffing in a substitute with rice is freekeh. I’ve a Palestinian Freekey Soup Recipe with rooster that’s scrumptious, however I do have a freekeh stuffed rooster in my Arab cooking coursetoo!

Tips for making Jaj Mahshi rice stuffed rooster:
- Marinate the rooster for not less than 4 hours, if not in a single day.
- To preserve the rooster moist, add water to the underside of the baking pan to lure in steam and preserve it moist. Cover the rooster with parchment paper and canopy the pan in aluminum foil.
- To obtain a brown and barely crispy exterior, broil the rooster after it roasts for a couple of minutes.

How to serve Dajaj Mahshi-stuffed rooster with rice:
This is a dish you can also make to be the centerpiece of your dinner desk. It may be very interesting, particularly with the rice cascading from the rooster. I add lemon and orange slices and pomegranate to the serving platter to make it much more engaging. The colours are vibrant and alluring. I garnish with parsley as properly for enchantment.
This meal is usually served with Arabic-style saladplain yogurt, or cucumber yogurt. I additionally wish to serve it with a aspect dish like cheese rolls or Spanakopita.

Please Leave a Review & Rating
I’m excited so that you can attempt my household’s Jaj Mahshi recipe! If you attempt my recipes, please depart a star ranking and/ or assessment within the remark part beneath. I really like listening to from you. Feel free to depart any questions or feedback beneath as properly. You can share your remakes with me on Instagram!
Hashweh ( Rice and meat filling)
-
First, marinate your rooster to offer it as a lot time as potential to soak in these flavors. I sometimes clear, pat dry, and marinate my rooster the evening earlier than.
-
For the marinade, mix all of the spices listed above with the olive oil and lemon juice. You can all the time regulate by including extra olive if the paste is simply too thick or a tad extra seasonings to make it extra paste-like.
-
Rub the marinade onto the chickens exterior in addition to inside and beneath the pores and skin. Make certain to take action properly to disperse all that fantastic taste.
-
Let this marinate and work on the Hashweh (rice and meat filling).
-
Add the olive oil and onions to a pot and cook dinner till transluscent earlier than including within the floor beef. Make certain to interrupt down the meat till it’s wonderful. You don’t desire chunks of it for this recipe.
-
Season this with 1/2 tbsp seven spice, salt and pepper. Stir and as soon as cooked through-set apart.
-
For the rinsed rice, season it with the remaining 1/2 tbsp 7 spice, together with salt and pepper as properly. Stir collectively then add this to the meat combination within the pot together with the ghee.
-
Stir collectively and add water or inventory. Bring to a light-weight boil then cowl and simmer for roughly quarter-hour till cooked by means of a bit of over 3/4 of the way in which. You need it to nonetheless have a slight chew as it’s going to cointiue to cook dinner afterward.
-
Once the stuffing is prepared and barely cooled, gently fold within the toasted nuts to finish the filling for the rooster.
-
Grab the marinated rooster and into the cavity begin stuffing it with the cooked rice till it full. You can fold the pores and skin over the cavity and shut with a toothpick or skewer initially to assist the rice keep put and take away this within the cooking course of or after.
-
Add the stuffed rooster’s to a baking dish and place 1 cup of water on the backside of the dish. This will preserve the rooster moist.
-
Cover the rooster in parchment paper then cowl all the baking dish in aluminum foil.
-
Place in a 450 F oven for 1 hour then carry the temperature right down to 400 F for one more hour. Check the inner temperature of the rooster on the thickest half. It must learn at aleast 165 F for it to be cooked by means of. Once cooked by means of, take off the foil and let it broil for a couple of minutes to attain a caramelized colour.
-
Add the rooster to a serving platter and be at liberty to decorate it up with lemon slices, pomegrante items, and a garnish of aprsley if you want. This meal is finest served with salad and yogurt. Enjoy!
