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torquillFirst, let me say I can't heap enough praise on Mallika Basu for her chicken pulao recipe; it's dead-on, it works, and it's simple enough for just about anybody. You can't beat one-pot meals, especially ones as tasty as that.
I decided it would be nice to have a red meat version as well, so I concocted a lamb pulao (lamb pilaf) that I've made for lunch a couple of times now; one batch lasts me about four days.
Lamb Pulao
(serves 6)
2 lbs lamb, in small pieces
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp mustard seed (crushed)
2 Tbsp ghee (clarified butter) or oil
1 onion, chopped
1 Tbsp garlic, minced
1 Tbsp ginger, minced
1 tsp cumin seed
3 whole cloves
1 black cardamom pod (or 1/4 tsp ground cardamom)
1 bay leaf
2 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp turmeric
2 cups basmati or other long-grain rice
1 cup plain yogurt
3 cups hot water
1 Tbsp ghee or oil
1 cup nuts (slivered almonds, cashews, pistachios, etc.)
chopped cilantro (optional)
Toss the lamb with the ground cumin, black pepper, mustard seed, and chili powder. Allow it to sit for a half hour while you prepare the other ingredients.
Heat 2 tablespoons ghee in a large heavy skillet. Fry the onion on medium until golden brown, then add the garlic, ginger, and whole spices and fry about 30 seconds. Toss in the coriander powder and turmeric, stir well to keep them from burning.
Next, stir in the rice and fry that for a few minutes, until the grains turn opaque white. Add the yogurt, and allow it to come up to temperature again. Finally, add the hot water, bring it to a simmer, reduce heat and cover (not airtight). Let that cook for about 20-25 minutes on low.
In the meantime, heat the additional tablespoon of ghee in another pan, and when hot add the chopped lamb. Cook briefly, just long enough to sear all sides and cook it most of the way through, without cooking it to dryness. Remove from heat.
When the rice has simmered dry, take it off the heat and let it sit for 3-5 minutes. Fluff it gently and salt it to taste (about 1 tsp salt is a good starting point). Stir in the lamb and nuts, garnish with cilantro. Serve with a raita (yogurt sauce), such as...
Mint Raita
2 cups good plain yogurt
2-4 Tbsp mint leaves, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground chilies (any heat level you like) or paprika
1/2 tsp black pepper
Combine all the ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and allow it to sit for a half-hour or so before serving. It keeps in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks, tightly covered.
6 servings is perhaps optimistic if, like the group I cook for, your diners tend to inhale large quantities. If you're serving hungry people, figure it'll handle four. (The same goes for the chicken pulao recipe, by the way.) I have heat-averse folk, so I tend to use either supermarket paprika or ancho chile powder, which is close to heatless; on my own, I use a medium-heat chile or spike it with cayenne.
A vegetarian recipe will be next.
I decided it would be nice to have a red meat version as well, so I concocted a lamb pulao (lamb pilaf) that I've made for lunch a couple of times now; one batch lasts me about four days.
Lamb Pulao
(serves 6)
2 lbs lamb, in small pieces
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp mustard seed (crushed)
2 Tbsp ghee (clarified butter) or oil
1 onion, chopped
1 Tbsp garlic, minced
1 Tbsp ginger, minced
1 tsp cumin seed
3 whole cloves
1 black cardamom pod (or 1/4 tsp ground cardamom)
1 bay leaf
2 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp turmeric
2 cups basmati or other long-grain rice
1 cup plain yogurt
3 cups hot water
1 Tbsp ghee or oil
1 cup nuts (slivered almonds, cashews, pistachios, etc.)
chopped cilantro (optional)
Toss the lamb with the ground cumin, black pepper, mustard seed, and chili powder. Allow it to sit for a half hour while you prepare the other ingredients.
Heat 2 tablespoons ghee in a large heavy skillet. Fry the onion on medium until golden brown, then add the garlic, ginger, and whole spices and fry about 30 seconds. Toss in the coriander powder and turmeric, stir well to keep them from burning.
Next, stir in the rice and fry that for a few minutes, until the grains turn opaque white. Add the yogurt, and allow it to come up to temperature again. Finally, add the hot water, bring it to a simmer, reduce heat and cover (not airtight). Let that cook for about 20-25 minutes on low.
In the meantime, heat the additional tablespoon of ghee in another pan, and when hot add the chopped lamb. Cook briefly, just long enough to sear all sides and cook it most of the way through, without cooking it to dryness. Remove from heat.
When the rice has simmered dry, take it off the heat and let it sit for 3-5 minutes. Fluff it gently and salt it to taste (about 1 tsp salt is a good starting point). Stir in the lamb and nuts, garnish with cilantro. Serve with a raita (yogurt sauce), such as...
Mint Raita
2 cups good plain yogurt
2-4 Tbsp mint leaves, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground chilies (any heat level you like) or paprika
1/2 tsp black pepper
Combine all the ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and allow it to sit for a half-hour or so before serving. It keeps in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks, tightly covered.
6 servings is perhaps optimistic if, like the group I cook for, your diners tend to inhale large quantities. If you're serving hungry people, figure it'll handle four. (The same goes for the chicken pulao recipe, by the way.) I have heat-averse folk, so I tend to use either supermarket paprika or ancho chile powder, which is close to heatless; on my own, I use a medium-heat chile or spike it with cayenne.
A vegetarian recipe will be next.
