!!!

Cooking Time: 120 Minutes. Makes 12 Servings

Ingredients 1 kg potatoes, cut in large pieces 1.5 kg basmati rice, preferably aged 2 kg lamb, cut in large cubes 1 kg onions 100g ginger, crushed 100g garlic, crushed 1 small bunch coriander 4 green chillies 1 bunch mint leaves 3 cinnamon sticks 8-10 cardamom pods, bruised 3 cloves 3 -4 tablespoons cumin powder 2-3 cups plain yoghurt 12 hard boiled eggs Salt to taste Fresh mint or coriander leaves for garnish 1 pinch saffron strands, soaked in about 1 teaspoon warm water Oil for frying !!

ani’s Lamb BiryaniR

!Cooking Instructions Rinse rice several times and allow to sit in water for at least two hours prior to cooking.

Boil rice with salt, a little cumin, 1 cinnamon stick and 2 cardamom pods for about two minutes. Remove about 1/3 of it after about one and a half minutes of cooking. Drain and set rice aside separately.

Blend about 1/3 of the onions with the ginger and garlic, slice the rest of the onions and fry until brown.

Chop mint and coriander separately and slit chillies.

Peel potatoes and cut into large pieces, fry until golden. Peel and fry eggs as well.

Combine lamb cubes with yoghurt, salt, blended onion mixture, the remaining whole spices, about half of the fried onions, coriander and mint. Stir well and add potatoes, making sure potatoes get covered by the spice mixture. Add about two tablespoons of oil.

Place lamb mixture in a large pot, smoothing it out on the top. (Some people like to line the bottom of the pot with thin slices of potato to ensure that the meat doesn’t burn).

Spread the lesser cooked portion of rice on top of the meat, trying to ensure that the top is as flat as possible. Sprinkle with half of the remaining fried onions and add the fried eggs on top. Now add the remaining rice, top with remaining fried onions and sprinkle the top with saffron strands and saffron water.

Cover tightly and cook over medium-low heat for 60-90 minutes. After about 60 minutes, forge with spoon handle to see whether rice is cooked.