1 1/2 lb Boned lamb
6 oz Ghee or cooking oil
2 lg Onions
3 cl Garlic
4 ts Ground coriander
4 ts Ground cumin
4 Cardamoms
1 Bay leaf
1 Lemon
1 c Natural yogurt
1/2 lb Rice
2 oz Sultanas
2 oz Blanched almonds
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
This is quite simply pillao rice cooked with a little lamb. It has its
origin more in the Arab world, where the idea of cooking meat
together with rice stems from necessity as the nomads had to cook
quickly and simply and with the minimum number of cooking pots.
Cut the lamb into cubes, removing any fat. Heat 4 oz of the ghee or
cooking oil in a large saucepan and fry the lamb to seal each piece
on all sides. Remove the pieces of lamb from the pan and place to one
side.
Peel the onions and garlic and thinly slice them. Add to the pan and
fry for 3-1/2 minutes. Add the coriander, cumin, cardamoms, and bay
leaf and fry for a further 1 minute. Squeeze the juice from 1 lemon
into the pan and then add the yogurt and pieces of lamb. Cover the
saucepan and cook for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, wash the rice well and drain as much water as possible.
Heat the remaining 2 oz of ghee or cooking oil in a large pan and add
the rice. Fry until it is well coated with the ghee or oil. Cover the
rice with barely enough water to submerge it and cook for
10 minutes.
Now add the lamb together with the sauce in which it has been
cooking, mix in well, cover and continue to cook until the rice is
soft. Then mix in the sultanas and blanced almonds, stirring gently
to ensure they are well dispersed without crushing the rice.
