Name: Pakistani Lamb Pulao
Yield: Serves 6 to 8
Cuisine: Pakistan
Ingredients: 2 bay leaves; 1½ teaspoons ground black cumin or 2 teaspoons regular ground cumin; One 2-inch piece cinnamon or cassia stick; 6 tablespoons ghee or vegetable oil; 1 cup diced or crushed canned or fresh tomatoes; 2 cups basmati rice, washed and soaked in 6 cups water for 1 to 3 hours; 1 teaspoon turmeric; ½ teaspoon mace, preferably freshly ground; ½ teaspoon cayenne; ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg; About 3 tablespoons melted ghee or butter, or to taste (optional); 2 tablespoons minced garlic or garlic mashed to a paste; 1½ teaspoons salt; ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (optional); 2 cups water; 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; About 1½ teaspoons salt; 5 brown cardamom pods, or substitute 5 green cardamom pods; 3 tablespoons minced ginger or ginger mashed to a paste; ¾ cup coarsely chopped almonds (optional); 1½ pounds boneless lamb (preferably shoulder), cut into ¾-inch cubes; Generous ½ cup coriander leaves, coarsely chopped; 2 teaspoons ground coriander seed; 6 cups thinly sliced onions

Preparation info

Serves
6 to 8

Difficulty
Complex

Appears in

Mangoes & Curry Leaves

By Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid

Published 2005

About

In Pakistan, bread is generally for everyday meals and rice is for special occasions. This lamb pulao from Pakistan is a special-occasion dish of lamb and rice that is like the pulaos of Central Asia—Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, and Xinjiang, for example. Lamb or goat are traditional, but in Pakistan these days, beef might be substituted. The pulao has the blend of flavors that we associate with Moghul dishes: cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, all subtly blended.

The list