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Spiced Saffron Rice With Lamb
(Shahjahani Biryani)
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| What You Need: |
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½ teaspoon saffron threads
3 tablespoons boiling water
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups imported basumati rice or other uncooked long-grain white rice, washed and drained (see Kesar Chaval)
1 to 1½ cups ghee
2 medium-sized onions, peeled, cut lengthwise in half, then sliced lengthwise into paper-thin slivers
¼ cup unsalted cashews
¼ cup unsalted, slivered, blanched almonds
¼ cup unsalted pistachios
¼ cup seedless raisins
1 tablespoon scraped, finely chopped fresh ginger root
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
¼ teaspoon ground hot red pepper
2 pounds lean boneless lamb, preferably from the leg, cut into 1-inch cubes
A 4-inch piece of stick cinnamon
8 whole cloves
6 whole black peppercorns
The seeds of 4 cardamom pods or ¼ teaspoon cardamom seeds
¼ teaspoon ground mace
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, preferably freshly grated
1½ cups chicken stock, fresh or canned
½ cup unflavored yoghurt combined with ½ cup light cream
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| How To Cook: |
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1. Drop the saffron threads into a small bowl or cup, pour in the 3 tablespoons of boiling water, and soak for 10minutes. Bring 3 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of the salt to a boil in a 3- to 4-quart saucepan. Stirring constantly, pour in the rice in a slow thin stream and cook briskly, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Drain the rice in a sieve or colander and set it aside.
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2. In a heavy 4- to 6-quart casserole with a tightly fitting lid, heat ¾ cup of the ghee over moderate heat until a drop of water flicked into it splutters instantly. Add the sliced onions and, stirring constantly, fry them for 7 or 8 minutes, or until they are soft and golden brown. Watch for any sign of burning and regulate the heat accordingly.
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3. With a slotted spoon, transfer the onions to paper towels to drain. Add the cashews, almonds, pistachios and raisins to the ghee remaining in the casserole and, adding up to 2 tablespoons more ghee if necessary, fry the nuts and raisins for about 1 minute, or until they are lightly browned. Then transfer the mixture to a bowl.
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4. Add the ginger, garlic, cumin and red pepper to the ghee still in the casserole (again add a little more ghee if you need it) and, stirring constantly, cook for a minute or so.
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5. Place the meat in the casserole, add the remaining teaspoon of salt, and stir over high heat until the cubes of meat are lightly browned on all sides. Stirring well after each addition, add the cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns, cardamom seeds, mace, nutmeg, ¾ cup of the stock, and the yoghurt-and cream mixture.
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6. Reduce the heat to low, cover the casserole tightly, and cook for 15 minutes. Then remove the casserole from the heat and let it rest covered for 3 to 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon transfer the cubes of meat and the cinnamon stick to one bowl, the cooking liquid and its seasonings to another. Wash the casserole and dry it thoroughly.
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7. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Pour 2 tablespoons of ghee into the casserole and tip it from side to side to coat the bottom evenly. Pour in half the reserved rice, smoothing it evenly with a spatula, and sprinkle a tablespoon or so of the saffron and its soaking water over it. Scatter half the meat on top and place the cinnamon stick in the center.
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8. Stir the remaining ¾ cup of stock into the bowl of the reserved cooking liquid and add a cup or so of the mixture to the casserole, pouring it slowly down the sides. Add all of the remaining rice and, over that, the rest of the lamb cubes.
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9. Sprinkle the top with the remaining saffron and its water and pour the last of the cooking liquid into the casserole as before. Cover the casserole with a sheet of foil, crimping the edges to hold it firmly in place, and place the lid on top.
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10. Bake in the middle of the oven for 20 minutes, or until the lamb and rice are tender and most of the liquid in the casserole has been absorbed.
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11. To serve, mound the entire contents of the casserole on a large heated platter and sprinkle with the reserved fried onions, cashews, almonds, pistachios and raisins. In India, this festive dish would be further garnished with small sheets of edible silver leaf.
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