Name: Saffron-scented rice with fragrant lamb curry
Yield: Serves 4–5
Cuisine: India
Ingredients: 15 ml/1 tbsp white poppy seeds, finely ground; 2 star anise; 10 ml/2 tsp salt, or to taste; 4 cloves; 75 g/3 oz ghee or unsalted butter; 15 ml/1 tbsp ghee or unsalted butter, melted; 50 g/2 oz/74 cup natural (plain) yogurt, whisked; 675 g/1½lb boned leg of lamb, cut into 2.5cm/1in cubes; 4 cardamom pods, bruised; 2.5 cm/1 in piece of cinnamon stick; 30 ml/2 tbsp hot milk; 2 bay leaves; 5 ml/1 tsp salt; 2.5 ml/½ tsp saffron threads, pounded; 10 ml/2 tsp ginger purée; 2 large onions, finely sliced; 350 g/12 oz/1¾ cups basmati rice, washed and drained; 2.5 cm/1 in piece of cinnamon stick, finely ground; 5 ml/1 tsp cumin seeds, finely ground; 4 cardamom pods, finely ground; 4 cloves, finely ground; 1/4 of a whole nutmeg, crushed and ground; 10 ml/2 tsp garlic purée; 10 ml/2 tsp coriander seeds, finely ground

Preparation info

Serves
4–5

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

The Complete Indian Regional Cookbook

By Mridula Baljekar

Published 2017

About

Hailing from Afghanistan, this superb dish, Biryani Khaiberi, features lamb cooked in a fragrant sauce with saffron-scented rice. The meat and rice are part-cooked, then combined in layers and baked in a tightly sealed pan in the oven, creating an irresistible flavour and texture.

Ingredients

675 g/1½lb boned leg of lamb, cut into 2.5cm/1in cubes
50 g/2 <

Method

Mix the lamb, yogurt and salt in a bowl. Cover and set aside for 20–30 minutes.
Melt the ghee or butter over a medium heat and add the onion. Fry, stirring, until the onion is well browned. Turn off the heat and remove the onion with a s