MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06 Title: Lamb Biryani Categories: Lamb/mutton, Vegetables, Chilies, Dairy, Herbs Yield: 8 servings 4 Serrano chilies; stemmed 8 cl Garlic; peeled 1 Fresh ginger piece (4"); peeled 2 md Yellow onions; peeled, - quartered 2 Roma tomatoes; quartered 1 c Full-fat yogurt 1 c Fresh mint leaves 1 c Fresh cilantro leaves 1 tb Ground coriander 1 tb Ground cumin 1 ts Kashmiri chile powder; more - as needed 1/2 ts Ground turmeric 1 1/2 ts Salt; more as needed 3 lb Lamb chops (or lamb shoulder - pieces) 3 Indian cinnamon sticks (1/2") - -OR- 1 lg Cinnamon stick 12 Whole black peppercorns 6 Cloves 6 Green cardamom pods 1 tb Garam masala MMMMM----------------------FRIED ONIONS------------------------------ 1 c Neutral oil 2 Yellow onions; thin sliced 1/2 ts Salt MMMMM---------------------------RICE--------------------------------- Salt 3 c basmati rice MMMMM-------------------------ASSEMBLY------------------------------- 6 tb Whole milk 1/2 ts Saffron threads 2 c Mixed fresh cilantro & mint - leaves 6 tb Unsalted butter; sliced PREPARE THE LAMB MARINADE: Add the finger chiles, garlic, and ginger to a food processor and process until finely chopped. Add the onions and tomatoes, process until smooth, and scrape into a bowl that will hold all the lamb and fit in your fridge. Add the yogurt, mint, cilantro, coriander, cumin, chile powder, turmeric, and salt, and stir to combine. Add the lamb to the bowl and toss to coat in the marinade, then cover and refrigerate overnight. PREPARE THE FRIED ONIONS: In a Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat the oil over medium. Add the onions, season with salt, and saute until browned, stirring occasionally, 25 to 30 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer fried onions to a paper towel-lined plate. Using your hands, pull apart the fried onions to separate to prevent them from sticking together, and set aside. Add the cinnamon, peppercorns, cloves, and cardamom to the remaining hot oil, and fry over medium until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the meat, its marinade and 1 cup water, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender and the sauce is very thick and dark, about 2-1/2 hours, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain a low simmer. Stir in the garam masala and taste, adjusting with salt and chile powder as needed. Set aside. Set the oven @ 350°F/175°C. PREPARE THE RICE: Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil and add the rice. Stir well and cook for 3 minutes, transfer to a colander in the sink to drain. Run some cool water on top to cool the rice; set aside. PREPARE THE SAFFRON MILK FOR ASSEMBLY: Warm the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat just until it steams. Remove from heat and add the saffron, crumbling it with your fingertips as you drop it into the milk. Set aside. In a large, heavy, lidded pot, add about a third of the meat mixture in an even layer covering the bottom of the pot. Sprinkle the meat with a third of the herbs and a third of the rice, assembling lightly without packing the layers. Drizzle 2 tb saffron milk over the rice and add about a third of the fried onions. Build two more layers of meat, herbs, rice, saffron milk, and onions. Top with pats of butter and cover the pot with foil. Put the lid on the pot of rice, transfer to the oven and bake until piping hot, about 1 hour. Let rest for about 10 minutes, then serve hot, digging all the way to the bottom of the pot with the serving spoon. To reheat, warm the biryani covered in the oven, or microwave. Recipe by Tejal Rao RECIPE FROM: https://cooking.nytimes.com Uncle Dirty Dave's Archives MMMMM