Serves 10 – 12 people
Yudhika‘s tips:
- Always use cold rice when making breyani as this prevents the rice from getting sticky.
- The rice should be par boiled and seasoned in this recipe.
- The potatoes can be par-cooked by boiling.
- Chicken pieces can be used instead of lamb in this recipe.
- I prefer using fresh cream but low fat yoghurt can be used instead.
- Adjust the red chilli powder if you would like to make this dish milder or hotter
Ingredients
- 2,5kg lamb knuckles
- 8 medium sized Up to Date potatoes
- 2 onions, finely sliced
- Sunflower oil, for frying
- 100ml sunflower oil
- 2 large cinnamon stick
- 4 bay leaves
- 6 cardamom pods
- 10ml cumin seeds
- 2 large onion, finely chopped
- 15ml coarse salt
- 30ml crushed garlic
- 30ml crushed ginger
- 45ml red chilli powder
- 20ml ground coriander
- 10ml ground cumin
- 15ml garam masala
- 5ml turmeric
- 400g chopped tomatoes
- 250ml fresh cream
- 3 x 400g tinned lentils, drained
- 2500ml par cooked basmati rice
- 125ml extra virgin olive oil
- Strands of saffron
- 500ml boiling water
- Few drops of egg yellow food colouring
- Fresh coriander and curry leaves, to garnish
- For the ‘Parda’ dough:
- 400g cake flour
- 100g butter
- 5ml sugar
- 150ml cold water
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
Here’s how:
- Peel the potatoes and slice them into thick rounds.
- Heat the sunflower oil in a pan and fry the potatoes until tender.
- Remove from the oil and leave to drain.
- Gently dab the excess oil with absorbent paper towel.
- Fry the onion slices until light golden brown.
- Remove the onion from the oil and leave in a colander to drain.
- Spread the onion slices over absorbent paper towel.
- Heat 100ml sunflower oil in a large 30cm frying pan (with oven proof handles)
- Fry the cinnamon stick and bay leaves until fragrant.
- Add the cardamom pods and cumin seeds.
- When the cumin seeds start to sizzle, add the onion and salt.
- Saute until the onion is light golden brown.
- Add crushed garlic and ginger.
- Stir for a few seconds and then add the red chilli powder.
- Stir well and add the lamb knuckles.
- Mix the knuckles in the chilli paste and continue stirring until the meat begins to stick.
- Lower the heat and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.
- Add the ground coriander, cumin, garam masala and turmeric.
- When the spices on the bottom of the pot start to brown, add the tomatoes and pour in boiling water to cover the knuckles.
- Simmer the knuckles on a low heat, adding more water if necessary.
- When the knuckles are 90 % cooked and the sauce has reduced, layer the fried potatoes over the lamb.
- Pour the fresh cream over and then layer half the lentils over the potatoes.
- Layer the cooked basmati rice over the lentils and scatter the remaining lentils on top.
- Drizzle olive oil over the rice.
- Heat the saffron strands in the microwave for 30 seconds.
- Leave to cool lightly and then lightly crush the strands with your fingertips.
- Pour the boiling water over the crushed saffron strands and leave to infuse.
- Pour the saffron infusion over the pot and pour a few drops of egg yellow food colouring over the rice.
- Sprinkle the fried onion slices over the rice and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil to prevent the rice from becoming sticky.
- Make the parda dough by rubbing the butter into cake flour. Add the sugar and pour in the water.
- Use the dough hook mixer attachment to work it into soft dough.
- Roll the dough into a large round.
- Make a thick paste with flour and cold water. This should resemble thick glue.
- Spoon the paste over the edges of the round and use the back of a teaspoon to spread it evenly.
- Drape the round over the pot, then press and pleat the dough to stick it down firmly under the lip of the gourmet unit.
- Brush the dough with beaten egg.
- Place the breyani in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 45 – 60 minutes or until the pastry cover is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped.
- Use a sharp knife to cut through the crispy dough to let out the steam.
- Gently toss the breyani and garnish with fresh coriander.