Feast Is Pride of the Pilgrimage : Muslims: During the Festival of the Sacrifice food is prepared made to commemorate the faithfulness of Abraham.

Yesterday, Muslims around the world began celebrating the Festival of the Sacrifice, known by such names as Id al-Adha, Id al-Qurban and Kurban Bayram. This solemn occasion, which continues for four days, commemorates the willingness of Abraham (in Arabic, Ibrahim) to sacrifice his son Isaac (Ishaq), and God’s acceptance of the sacrifice of a lamb in Isaac’s place.

The first day of the festival falls on the 10th day of Dhu al-Hijja, the month of the pilgrimage to Mecca. On this day the pilgrims go to the Plain of Mina near Mecca and, in the culminating ceremony of the pilgrimage, cast seven stones against Satan, as Abraham is said to have done, and sacrifice lambs. The circumambulation of the Kaaba (itself believed by Muslims to have been built by Abraham) has already taken place on an earlier day.

During this season, Muslims everywhere prepare foods made from lambs slaughtered according to religious prescriptions. For those who can afford a lamb, it is a meritorious act to distribute meat to the poor so that they may participate in the festival. After this festival, the pilgrims begin returning home, where for the rest of their lives they will bear the title Hajj, “one who has made the pilgrimage.”

Newport Beach restaurateur Hassan Hassan has provided the following traditional Lebanese recipes. Ouzi (whole lamb) and moghrabiya (lamb couscous ) are available at Hassan’s only at this time, the former only by reservation.

MOGHRABIYA

(Lebanese-Style Couscous)

1 cup chopped onions

4 ounces moghrabiya or large-grain couscous

5 lamb shanks

1 teaspoon caraway seeds

1/8 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Salt, pepper

2 teaspoons butter

1/2 cup cooked garbanzo beans

Simmer onions in pan of water until tender. Drain and set aside. Pour moghrabiya onto large flat tray. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 cups lightly salted water, stir and let stand 5 minutes. Drain. Repeat 4 times.

Place lamb shanks and 6 cups water in large uncovered pot and bring to boil. When water boils, pour moistened moghrabiya into strainer and place over pot. Boil until moghrabiya is tender, about 45 minutes, adding water as needed to maintain 4 to 6 cup level.

Heat oven to 250 degrees, then turn heat off. Place steamed moghrabiya on serving platter, cover and place in oven.

Add caraway, cumin, cinnamon, salt and pepper to taste to pot. Cover and lower heat. Melt butter in skillet, add garbanzo beans and boiled onions and saute until light brown. Add to pot and simmer 15 minutes or until lamb shanks are very tender.

Remove lamb shanks from pot, take meat off bones and slice. To serve, arrange meat on moghrabiya and pour broth over top. Makes 4 servings.

The following recipe for whole lamb may not be suitable for all ovens, and will require a serving tray at least three feet in diameter.

OUZI

(Stuffed Whole Lamb)

1 large onion, finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon oil

1 pound ground lamb

7 cups rice

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Salt, pepper

1 small whole lamb, 14-20 pounds

1 1/2 cups lemon juice

2 teaspoons ground turmeric

8 ounces pine nuts

8 ounces almonds

1 teaspoon butter

Saute onion in oil in large pot. Add ground lamb, rice, cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 14 cups water. Bring to boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes or until rice is cooked. Turn out onto large platter to cool.

Meanwhile, strip all fat from lamb, inside and out. Stuff lamb with rice mixture and stitch cavity closed. Place in roasting pan large enough to hold whole lamb and rub with lemon juice, turmeric and season to taste with salt and pepper. Add 2 quarts water. Cover roasting pan with foil and roast at 350 degrees 4 1/2 hours or until thoroughly done.

When lamb is cooked, remove from oven and place on large serving tray. Saute pine nuts and almonds in butter until golden brown. Remove stuffing from lamb and stir in nuts. Cut generous portions of lamb and serve over stuffing. Makes 10 to 15 servings.

KAFTA BI SINIYA

(Lamb Meatballs With Potato)

1 pound ground lamb

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1/2 small brown onion, finely chopped

Salt, pepper

2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into thick slices

2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced

2 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce

1 1/2 cups water

1 tablespoon melted butter or margarine

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Cooked rice

Mix ground lamb, parsley and onion in large bowl with salt and pepper to taste. Shape into 4 patties and place in deep 9-inch square baking dish.

Place sliced potatoes and tomatoes over lamb patties. Dilute tomato sauce with water and pour over contents of pan. Stir in butter, cinnamon and salt and pepper to taste.

Cover pan with foil and bake at 350 degrees 1 hour. Uncover and continue baking 30 minutes. Serve with rice. Makes 4 servings.

KAFTA BI TAHINI

(Lamb Meatballs With Tahini)

2 pounds ground lamb

1/2 cup chopped parsley

1/2 cup chopped onion

Dash white pepper

Tahini Sauce

Cooked rice

Combine lamb, parsley, onion and pepper. Shape into small patties and place in 7x11-inch casserole. Add Tahini Sauce, cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking 30 minutes. Serve with rice. Makes 4 servings.

Tahini Sauce

3/4 cup lemon juice

3/4 cup water

1/2 cup tahini (sesame paste)

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt

Dilute lemon juice in water. Pour sesame paste into small bowl and stir in lemon liquid small amount at time. Add salt and pepper.

RIZ BI DJAJ

(Chicken With Rice and Pine Nuts)

1 (2- to 2 1/2-pound) chicken

5 to 6 cups water

Salt

1 medium onion, chopped

1/2 tablespoon oil

1/2 pound ground lamb

2 cups rice

Salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/3 cup pine nuts

1 teaspoon butter

Wash chicken and remove liver and giblets. Place in large pot with water and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer 45 minutes or until meat is falling off bone. Remove chicken and strain broth.

Brown onion in oil in large pan. Add lamb, rice, salt to taste, pepper and cinnamon. Saute until rice is light golden brown. Add 4 1/2 cups chicken broth, cover and simmer until rice is cooked, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, remove chicken meat from bones and cut into large pieces. Brown pine nuts in butter in small pan.

To serve, place rice on platter, top with chicken meat and sprinkle with pine nuts. Makes 4 servings.