Lamb byriani
Ingredients
- 400g Cubed lamb
- several (many) tbs of Olive oil
- 3-4 Bay leaves
- tsp cumin
- cinnamon stick, 5cm or so.
- 12-15 (about a tsb) black peppercorns
- 10-12 cloves
- 10 cardamom pods, crushed slightly
- 1.5 tsp crushed garlic
- 1.5 tsp grated ginger
- 4 medium onions
- 500ml yogurt
- 1 birdseye chlli or other small firy chilli
- salt
- 450g basmati
- saffron in warm milk
Method
Thinly slice the onions, fry until golden, set aside.
Add the cinnamon, bay leaves, cumin, cloves, salt and cardamom to the oil, and fry for a minute, then add the garlic and ginger and fry another 30 seconds or so.
Add the meat to the pan and fry until lightly browned.
Add half the onions back to the pan, fry for 30 seonds then add the yogurt, chilli and another good pinch of salt. Stir and bring to the boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 25 minutes or so. Stir occasionally.
Uncover and cook for another 10 minutes until the sauce is nice and thick and the meat tender. The oil should seperate from the sauce at this point. Set aside.
Cook the rice until about 2/3 done. (6-7 minutes in a rice steamer in the microwave).
Heat the oven to 150 (130 fan).
Skim about half the oil from the meat and add it to a casserole. Add about half the rice ontop of the oil. Then spoon the meat over the rice, leaving the remaining oil in the pan. Next cover the meat with the remaining rice, and the remaining oil over that. Then pour over a small amount of warm milk and saffron. Cover with tinfoil and a lid and bung in the oven for 30-40 minutes.
