Lamb Biryani

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Ingredients

500g Diced Lamb
250g Basmati Rice
100g Ghee or clarified butter
30g Onions fried
30g Ginger Paste
20g Garlic Paste
200g Yoghurt (plain full fat Greek Yogurt)
1/2 tsp Chilli Powder
1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Ground Coriander
1/2 tsp Ground cumin
1 tsp Garam Masala
20g Cilantro, chopped
20g Mint, chopped
1/4g Saffron
50ml Whole Fat Cows Milk
2 bay leaves
2 Green Cardamom Pods
4 Cloves
15g salt
1 tbsp Lemon Juice
small piece cheese cloth or loose leaf tea strainer

Instructions

1) In the dish you’re going to cook in (I used a cast iron dutch oven) put 50g Ghee and fry onions over medium high heat til browned > Removed onions and place dish aside off heat

2) Marinate the lamb with fried onions, Garlic Paste, Ginger Paste, yoghurt, Chilli Powder, Turmeric Powder, Ground Coriander, Ground cumin, salt, and half of the Cilantro and Mint. Marinate for at least 2 hours

2) After starting the lamb marinating wash the Basmati Rice in lukewarm water and soak for 30 minutes

3) Boil 3 liters of water with 5g of salt, bay leaves, Cardamom Pods, Cloves, and the remaining Coriander and Mint. When the water starts to boil, add the Basmati Rice. All of the spices should be tied into a sachel of cheese cloth or placed in a loose leaf tea strainer this way they aren’t floating around waiting for someone to bite into a clove.

4) Cook for 2 minutes, drain, and cool on a prepared cookie sheet or sheet pan lined with parchment. Lay the rice out flat to get even cooling

5) In your dish from earlier layer the lamb after it’s marinated along the bottom

6) Add 200ml of vegetable stock

7) Cover evenly with the rice and press down so it’s level

8) Take your Milk and bring to right before a boil, add in the Saffron and let bloom for 5 minutes.

9) Sprinkle the rice with Garam Masala

10) Pour rest of melted Ghee and 1 tbsp Lemon Juice over rice and the Milk

11) Cover tightly with tin foil and place lid on top. Cook on Medium High heat for about 5 minutes then reduce to a simmer (medium low) for another 30.

12) Mix together and serve with raita

Homemade Naan

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Ingredients:
1/2 cup Warm Water, a little above room temp too hot and you’ll kill the yeast
2 teaspoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
2 1/2 cups Bread Flour
1/4 cup Olive Oil (or vegetable oil if you want a lighter taste)
1/3 cup Unflavored Yogurt, (I used Skyr)
1 large egg
Pinch Salt
About 8 teaspoons Clarified Butter (Ghee)

Equipment:
1 large Heavy Bottom Pan
Rolling Pin

Instructions:

1) In a large bowl mix together: water, yeast and sugar. After the yeast is dissolved let it sit out for about 3-5 minutes, it will develop a thin foam across the top of it. If no foam ever appears toss it out and try again, No Foam = Dead Yeast
2) Separately whisk together the Oil, Yogurt, Egg, and Salt until partly combined (mine was still a little broken and not smooth. Add in to the bowl with yeast and lightly whisk.
3) With a large spatula mix in the flour 1/2 cup at a time until all mixed. Knead for about 10-15 minutes adding flour to your surface so it does not stick until it is a smooth pliable dough. Cover with a thin hand towel (mine are a thin linen) or tea towel and let rise one hour or until about double in size.
4) Divide the dough into 8 pieces cutting it with a sharp knife (this severs the gluten strands instead of stretching them and giving you uneven pieces). On a lightly floured surface, roll out each piece into a thin circle or oval as best you can with your rolling pin (heck in a pinch I’ve been known to use a wine bottle as a makeshift rolling pin, whatever works I say).
5) Cook each Naan in your heavy bottom pan over Medium or Medium High Heat (I used Medium but my range tends to run a little hot) and a teaspoon of Ghee in the bottom of the pan. I found it took about 3-5 minutes per side on the first side using the Pancake Rule my Mother taught me: Once bubbles stop forming wait one minute for a big pancake then flip.

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6) Once one is done wrap it lightly with a thin hand towel and start the next one to keep the done ones warm.