Coal-Smoked Biryani

Undoubtably the Emperor of rice dishes, an exquisite one-pot meal with Mughal roots. Some traditional biryanis, those made by true masters, tenderise raw meat in a marinade before cooking it simultaneously with rice. The method here is more forgiving as the lamb is braised before layering, guaranteeing tenderness.

What sets this apart is the smoking technique, which I learnt from my friend Roopa Gulati. A glowing ember of charcoal is dropped into the pot, suffusing the dish with its