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Biryani

This recipe is based on one I got from my father. Please treat the measurements as rough and adapt based on the size of your pan¹.

Ingredients

• Lamb neck², 500g, cut into ~4cm pieces
• Potato, 500g, peeled, cut into ~4cm pieces
• Onion, 1 medium, sliced thin
• Basmati rice, 450g
• Plain yoghurt, ~250g
• Garlic, 6 cloves, crushed
• Ginger, 1 inch, peeled and grated
• Cumin, 1 tbsp
• Turmeric, 1 tsp
• Cardamom, 4 pods, gently crushed
• Cinnamon, 2 sticks
• Saffron, ~5 strands
• Coriander, a generous handful, roughly chopped
• Olive oil, 3 tbsp
• Lemon, ½, juiced
• Frozen peas, a handful
• Salt + pepper

Instructions

Marinade

1. Take a pan and add the yoghurt, garlic, ginger, cumin, 2 cardamom, 1 cinnamon stick, 2 saffron strands, coriander, olive oil, lemon juice, olive oil, salt + pepper then stir well to combine the ingredients.
2. Add the meat and potatoes and stir well.
3. Pop in the fridge to marinate (ideally the night before, or the morning of the day you want to cook).

Build

1. Fry the onion until caramelised and set aside.
2. Take the pan out the fridge and slowly add water to the marinade, mixing as you go. Stop adding water when the marinade is almost level with the contents.
3. Arrange the meat and potatoes so that the potatoes are at the bottom of the pan with the meat on top: a layer of potato topped with a layer of meat. Set aside.
4. Rinse the rice well, drain, then add to a pan with 2 cardamom, 1 cinnamon stick, 2 saffron strands, turmeric and salt. Stir well.
5. Add enough water to cover the rice then put a lid on.
6. Bring the rice to the boil, then immediately lower the heat and simmer until the water has been absorbed, then remove from the heat. The rice will be predominantly uncooked – that’s fine.
7. Use a large spoon to carefully place the rice on top of the marinade, then use a fork to evenly (and gently!) distribute: a layer of rice on top of the layer of meat.
8. Top with the caramelised onion and handful of frozen peas.
9. Cut a circular piece of baking paper, an inch larger than the pan, place on top, followed by the lid. Press down to form a seal.

Cook!

1. Cook on a low heat for 2 hours³ then serve like you might a cake.