serves
4-6
prep
30 minutes
cook
1:30 hour
difficulty
Mid
serves
4-6
people
preparation
30
minutes
cooking
1:30
hour
difficulty
Mid
level
Ingredients
Spice mix
- 2 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 3-4 green cardamom
- 1 black cardamom
- 3-4 cloves
- ¼ whole nutmeg
- 2 blades mace
- 1 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 9-10 dried red button chilies
For the meat
- ¾ cup cooking oil
- 3-4 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 750 g mutton
- 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- 1 L water, or as required
- 2 tsp salt, or to taste
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp red chili powder
- 10-12 dried plums, soaked in hot water (see note)
- ½ bunch fresh coriander, chopped, plus extra to serve
- ½ bunch fresh mint leaves
For the rice
- 750 g basmati rice, washed and soaked in room temperature water
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 green cardamom
- 3-5 cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 5-6 tomatoes, roughly chopped
- ½ tsp lemon juice
- 2 lemons, sliced, plus extra to serve
- Green chillies, to serve
Instructions
- In frying pan, add the coriander seeds, fennel seeds, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, green cardamom, black cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, mace, star anise, cinnamon stick, button red chillies and dry roast until fragrant. Leave to cool.
- Once cooled, add the roasted spices to a grinder or food processor and make a course powder. Set this aside for later.
- Heat the cooking oil in a large pot set over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onion and fry until golden brown. Remove half the onion from the oil and set aside.
- Add the mutton and ginger garlic paste into the remaining onions in the pot and mix well. Cook, stirring, until the meat starts to cook on the outside. Add the water, salt, and turmeric powder. Mix well to combine and bring to a boil.
- Cover and cook on a medium low flame until tender (approx. 40-50 minutes) then increase the heat to high and cook, stirring often, until the oil starts to separate.
- Add the ground spices and red chili powder, mix well and cook for another 4-5 minutes, then add the soaked dried plums, fresh coriander, and mint leaves and mix well.
- While the meat cooks, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add salt, bay leaf, cumin seeds, cardamom, cloves and cinnamon. Drain the rice and add it to the pot. Cook, boiling, for about 5 minutes, or until the rice is mostly cooked but has a slight bite and a sliver of white in the middle. Drain the rice well.
- Now, return a third of the rice to the base of the pot, then top with half the prepared meat gravy, tomato slices, fresh coriander, mint leaves, fried onion, black peppercorns and lemon slices. Continue to layer the rice with the rest of the ingredients, finishing with a final layer of rice.
- Cover and steam cook on low flame for 8-10 minutes. Rest for a further 5 minutes before lifting the lid. Serve hot with green chillies, fresh coriander, and extra lemon slices.
Note:
• Also known as aloo bukhara, these dried plums usually come in packets and can be purchased from select South Asian grocers or online.
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
