06 Main Lamb - Lamb Akhni
Precook Rice
3 Cup Rice
6 Teaspoon Salt
8 Cup Water
1/2 Teaspoon Tumeric (for rice first cook)
Lamb Curry
1 Kilogram Lamb pieces
4 Tablespoon Olive Oil
2 Onions chopped
1 Teaspoon crushed Garlic
1 Teaspoon crushed Ginger
1 Teaspoon Ground Coriander
1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
3/4 Teaspoon Tumeric (for marinade)
3 Teaspoon crushed Red Chillis
1 Teaspoon Red Chilli powder
2 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
3 Pinch Saffron
1 Cup Water
4 Tomatoes blended or 1/2 cup Passata
Steaming
4 Potatoes cut in boiled firm
with 1/4 Teaspoon Tumeric
4 Carrots long cubes boiled
2 Tablespoon Dried Kasoori Methi
1/2 Cup Fresh Dania
1/4 Cup Fresh Mint
1 Cup Water
Add rice precook ingredients to a pot with sufficient water and boil until the rice is al dente then drain.
Braise the onions until golden brown then add ginger, garlic and spices and braise for a few seconds.
Add the lamb with 1/4 cup water and cook for a few minutes stirring occasionally. The lamb will also release liquid. Continue to monitor and cook until the liquid evaporates.
Then add the remaining water and cook until the meat is tender. Add more water if necessary.
The lamb will be ready for the next stage when oil droplets appear on the surface and the meat is tender. The lamb curry should be fragrant and spicy in order for the flavour to remain when the rice is added.
if using fresh tomato, cook to reduce by a third in a separate pot.
Boil the potatoes separately with a 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric until cooked but still firm.
Boil the Carrots as well.
For the next stage ensure that you use large oven-proof pot. Combine the lamb curry, rice and steaming ingredients. The liquid must just below to the surface.
Heat up the pot on the stove top for about 15-20 min. Preheat the oven to 180°C then transfer the pot to the oven and allow to cook for about an hour.
NB: You can also use chicken with this recipe but cooking time for the chicken curry will be much quicker and tomato can be added about 10 min after the chicken is added to the pot.