Hyderabad Rice Pulao

Ingredients :

2 Cups - Basmati Rice
3 Tbsp - Sunflower oil
1 No -Finely sliced onion
3 Nos - Finely chopped shallots
1 Clove - Crushed garlic
1 Tsp -Grated ginger
1/2 Tsp - Cayenne
2 Cups - Trimmed okra (ladies finger)
4 Cups - Chicken stock
1 Tsp - Lightly crushed saffron
1/3 Cup - Golden raisins
1 Tbsp - Lemon juice

To Garnish :
Toasted Almonds
1 Tsp - Chopped mint
1 Tsp - Chopped coriander

Cooking Instructions :

- Heat oil in a pan and fry onions till golden brown and keep aside.
- Reduce heat and cook shallots in the remaining oil until soft.
- Add garlic and ginger and sauté well. Stir in the rice, cayenne and okra.
- Pour in the chicken stock and add saffron.
- Bring to a boil and simmer over moderate heat for 15 minutes.
- Add raisins and stir in the lemon juice.
- Serve with garnish of fried onion, toasted almonds, mint and coriander.

Lamb Biryani

Ingredients :

500 gms - Sliced lamb
500gms - Basmati rice
Water as required
1/2 tsp - Mace powder
4 nos - Green cardamom
4 nos - Black cardamom
4 nos - Cloves
5 nos - Bay leaves
200 ml - Oil
50 gms - Onions
5 tsp - Ginger-garlic paste
2 Tsp - Salt
2 tsp - Chilli powder
1000 ml - Water
3 1/2 tbsp - Brown onion paste
Saffron few strands
60 gms - Sliced onions(fry the onions till brown and keep aside)

For the covering:

1/2 cup Flour
100 gms - Butter

Cooking Instructions :

- Wash and soak rice in water for one hour.
- Drain and boil in sufficient water with mace powder, green and black cardamom, cloves and bay leaves till three-fourth done.
- Remove from heat, drain and keep aside.
- Heat oil in a pan and fry sliced onions till brown. Saute by adding ginger-garlic. Put the lamb pieces and fry for about 10 minutes.
- Add salt, chilli powder and water and cook for about 20 to 25 minutes on medium heat.
- Stir in the brown onion paste and cook till the lamb pieces are tender and the curry thickens. Remove from heat.
- Mix butter and flour. Knead to a smooth soft dough by adding enough water.
- In an oven proof vessel place alternate layers of rice and lamb curry.
- Sprinkle saffron and browned onions. Seal the vessel with the prepared dough and place in a moderately hot oven (150oC to 175oC) for 20 minutes or till the covering is cooked.