Lamb biryani

Ingredients
150g natural yogurt  
3 garlic cloves, grated  
1 heaped tsp finely grated ginger  
½ tsp ground cinnamon  
½ tsp turmeric  
600g lamb, cut into 2½ cm chunks *
Generous pinch of saffron strands  
5 tbsp tepid milk  
4 medium onions, thinly sliced 
7 tbsp vegetable oil  
½ tsp hot chilli powder  
280g basmati rice  
1 cinnamon stick, halved  
5 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed  
4 cloves  
1 tsp cumin seeds  
700ml chicken stock  
1 tsp garam masala
25g butter, melted

To serve  
handful of toasted  
almonds or cashews  
Salt  

* Leg will cook quicker than shoulder but shoulder will have a richer flavour

Method
Mix together the yogurt, grated garlic and ginger, cinnamon, turmeric and one teaspoon of salt in a shallow dish. Add the lamb and stir to ensure the lamb is coated in the yogurt mix. Marinate for 1-3 hours. Stir the saffron into the milk and leave to the side. Put the garam masala into the melted butter and also put to one side. 

In a large heavy-based pan that can go into the oven, heat 2 tbsp of the oil on a medium heat and add a quarter of the onions and fry until golden, 5-8 minutes. Slowly add the yogurt-coated meat a tablespoon at a time, stirring and allowing it to fry briefly before you add the next spoonful. This will help prevent it curdling. Cook for 10 minutes stirring from time to time.  Add the chilli powder and 50ml water and turn the heat down to low.  Put on a lid and cook for 1-2 hours or until the meat is very tender, stirring occasionally. The length of time here will depend on what cut of lamb you have. Leg will take closer to an hour, shoulder will take closer to 2 hours. 

Heat the oven to 180c.  Tip the rice into a bowl, cover with cold water and leave to soak for at least 20 minutes, then drain.  

Meanwhile heat 3 tbsp of the oil in a frying pan, add the remaining onions and sprinkle 1tsp salt (this helps to stop them from burning).  Cook on a medium heat for about 25 minutes until reduced right down and soft and golden.  Remove from the pan and spread over 2 sheets of  kitchen paper. Take the unwashed pan, add 1 tbsp oil and put in the cinnamon stick, cardamom, cloves and cumin seeds and fry for a minute until you start to smell the aroma. Add the rice and coat in the aromatic oil.  Add the stock and bring to the boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium, put on a lid and cook for about 8 minutes until the stock has been absorbed. This is called the absorption method and the trick here is to not remove the lid at all ideally.  If your lid is not glass and you cannot see what is going on then don’t lift for at least the first 6 or 7 minutes and then do it very carefully and only if you really are worried there is no liquid left.  Remove your pan from the heat and let the rice stand with the lid on for 3 minutes, this helps the rice to stay light.  After the 3 minutes, you will notice that your spices have risen to the top, pick them out.  I count them in and count them out so that I know I have them all, this prevents somebody taking a bite of a very aromatic spice!  Then take your fork and fluff it up some more. Mix the garam masala with the melted butter.  

Take half of the lamb out of the pot and into it put a third of the soft onions. Spoon half the rice over the lamb and onion and then pour over the spiced butter. Add another layer of lamb, another third of the onions and the rest of the rice.  Drizzle the saffron milk over the top and scatter over the rest of the onions and the toasted nuts, cover with a lid or foil and put in the oven for 20 minutes. 

- Adapted recipe by Angela Nilson, The Ultimate Recipe Book