During my time as a chef at Mistura, I worked with several new Canadians and formed particularly good friendships with two men from Bangladesh, Khalil and Mizan. During Ramadan, the annual period of fasting, reflection, and prayer for Muslims, they abstained from eating while the sun was up. Each morning when they came to work, Khalil, Mizan, and the other observant Muslims we worked with would bring large trays of delicious food that their wives had prepared for them to eat once the sun went down. They would reheat the dishes and share them with the rest of the staff and we feasted on pakoras, onion bhajis, delicious curries, and one of my favorites, lamb biryani. Here is my version of that biryani, a festive dish that is aromatic, flavorful, and very popular for serving large groups of people. Serve lamb biryani with naan bread and a yogurt-cucumber salad.
Adapted from Cooking Meat
Serves 6-8
Ingredients:
½ cup + 3 Tbsp clarified butter (divided)
1 onion, sliced
3 pounds lamb shank, each shank cut in 3-4 pieces (ask your butcher)
5 garlic cloves, finely minced
2 Tbsp ginger, finely minced
2 Tbsp salt (divided)
1 Tbsp chopped green chilies
1 tsp chili flakes or chili powder
1 Tbsp chopped mint
1 Tbsp chopped cilantro
2 cups plain yogurt
2 limes, juice only
2 cinnamon sticks
6 whole cloves
3 black cardamom pods
1 tsp black peppercorns
1½ cups basmati rice
1 cup milk
1 tsp saffron
Method:
1. In a large frying pan over medium heat, heat the 3 Tbsp of clarified butter. Add the onions and cook until slightly brown and translucent.
2. Place the lamb meat in a large bowl. Add the cooked onions, garlic, ginger, 1 Tbsp of salt, green chilies, chili flakes (or chili powder), mint, cilantro, yogurt, and lime juice. Stir well and set aside.
3. In a large pan over medium heat, toast the cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamom pods, and peppercorns until fragrant. Remove from the heat, allow to cool, then place the spices on a piece of cheesecloth and tie it into a sachet (or place them in a large tea infuser ball). Add this spice sachet to the lamb mixture, cover, and allow to marinate at room temperature for 1 hour. (Alternatively, mix the spices directly into the lamb mixture, but if do you this, you’ll have to warn your guests to watch for them.)
4. While the lamb is marinating, soak the rice in 6 cups of warm water for 1 hour.
5. Melt the ½ cup of clarified butter in a large pot over medium heat. Discard the spice sachet from the lamb mixture, add the meat to the pot, and bring it to a simmer. Cook until the lamb is tender, about 30 minutes.
6. Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil in a medium pot over high heat and add the remaining 1 Tbsp of salt. Drain the rice, add it to the boiling water, and cook for 5 minutes. (It will not be fully cooked.) Remove from the heat and drain well.
7. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat the milk in a small pot over medium heat, then add the saffron. Allow to infuse for at least 5 minutes.
8. Pour the lamb mixture into a casserole dish just large enough to hold everything without crowding. Spread the half-cooked rice evenly over the meat and drizzle the saffron milk over top. Cover with a tight lid or aluminum foil and bake until the rice is tender, 30 to 45 minutes.
9. To serve, place the casserole dish in the middle of the table and eat immediately.