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Prep Time: 60 Minutes Cook Time: 0 Minutes |
Ready In: 60 Minutes Servings: 6 |
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Recipe by Ambreen Hasan. Saveur April 2010. Ingredients:
1 cup canola oil |
3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced |
2 tablespoons garam masala |
1 teaspoon crushed red chili pepper flakes |
1/2 teaspoon turmeric |
18 black peppercorns |
9 green cardamom pods |
3 pods black cardamom pods |
4 inches cinnamon sticks |
6 garlic cloves, minced |
6 tomatoes, cored and minced |
5 serrano chilies, stemmed and minced |
1 1/2 inches piece ginger, peeled and minced |
2 lbs trimmed lamb shoulder, cut into 2/3-inch pieces |
kosher salt, to taste |
1/2 cup plain yogurt |
3/4 cup roughly chopped mint leaf |
1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro |
40 saffron strands, crushed (heaping 1ƒ 2 tsp.) |
2 1/2 cups white basmati rice, soaked in cold |
water, for 30 minutes drained |
1/2 teaspoon cumin seed |
4 whole cloves |
2 dried bay leaves |
rose water (optional) or kewra essence (optional) |
red food coloring (optional) or orange food coloring (optional) |
Directions:
1. 1. Heat 1⁄4 cup oil in a 5-qt. skillet over high heat. Add onions; cook, stirring occasionally, until dark brown, 20–25 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; set aside.
2. 2. Heat remaining oil in a 5-qt. pot over high heat. Add garam masala, chile flakes, turmeric, 10 peppercorns, 5 green cardamom pods, 2 black cardamom pods, and 1 cinnamon stick; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add garlic, tomatoes, chiles, and ginger; cook, stirring, 2–3 minutes. Add lamb, season with salt, and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Cover, reduce heat to medium; cook until lamb is tender, about 1 hour. Add fried onions, yogurt, 1⁄2 cup mint, and 2 tablespoons cilantro; cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes more. Set aside.
3. 3. Put saffron into a bowl and cover with 1⁄2 cup hot water; set aside. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a 5-qt. saucepan. Add remaining peppercorns, green and black cardamom, and cinnamon, along with the rice, cumin, cloves, and bay leaves, and season with salt. Cook rice until al dente, 5–10 minutes; drain rice and set aside.
4. 4. Transfer half the lamb curry to a 5-qt. pot. Top lamb with half the rice. Pour half the saffron mixture onto rice along with a few drops of rose water and food coloring (if using); mix into rice with your fingers. Top with remaining lamb curry and remaining rice; drizzle with remaining saffron; mix. Steam, covered, on low heat until rice is tender, about 10 minutes. Garnish with remaining mint and cilantro.
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