Tuesday, February 07th 2012

Sindhi biryani Recipe

2 lbs. lamb; boneless and cut into cubes
1 lb. basmati rice
2/3 cup natural yoghurt; unsweetened
3 medium tomatoes; peeled and cut into wedges
Vegetable oil
3 medium potatoes, boiled until tender and cut in half
3 medium onions, thinly sliced
3 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
1 tbsp garlic, minced
10 cloves
5-6 green cardamom pods plus 8 to cook rice
4-5 cinnamon sticks
1 tablespoon dried red chilli powder
1/2 tbsp turmeric
1/2 tbsp paprika
5 bay leaves
1 tablespoon coriander powder
2 teaspoon cumin powder
2 teaspoon cumin seeds
9 dried plums (prunes), pit removed
1 tablespoon salt
10 black peppercorns,cracked
2-3 black cardamom pods
3 long green chillies, whole, plus 1 finely sliced
1 bunch coriander, chopped
1 bunch mint, chopped
1 tablespoon saffron, soaked briefly in milk
25 grams each of golden raisins, slivered almonds, walnuts and cashew nuts
Fried onion rings, to garnish

Fry onions in a little vegetable oil over medium heat golden brown and translucent. Add lamb and stir for a few minutes to brown. Add ginger and garlic. Add yoghurt and all dried spices except saffron, mixing well to combine. Add 1 cup water, green chillies and salt. Turn heat to low and simmer for 45 minutes.

Soak rice for half an hour, drain and cook in boiling water with extra green cardamom pods. Drain when cooked and split into two lots. Add saffron to one half of the rice and stir through to distribute saffron evenly.

Combine tomatoes, mint, coriander, and sliced green chilli. Add 1/3 of the tomato mixture to the goat mixture. Cover and cook for a further 5 to 10 minutes. On a large serving platter, spoon out 1/2 the plain rice and top with the lamb curry.

Spoon over 1/2 the saffron rice and sprinkle with half the remaining tomato, mint and green chilli mixture. Add a layer of the boiled potatoes, then another layer of plain rice, saffron rice and finally onion rings. Top with remaining tomato, mint and green chilli mixture, then sprinkle over sultanas, almonds, walnuts and cashews.

Serve with cachumbar, made from red onions, tomatoes, vinegar and shredded lettuce and raita, made from yoghurt, mint, cumin and salt.