Recipe: Hyderabadi Do Piaza and Qabooli

Hyderabadi Do Piaza and Qabooli

Serves 6

Ingredients

Method

1 kg. Lamb Cubes

4 Onions (Red, Sliced)

2 tsp. Salt (Kosher)

1 tsp. Chilli Powder

3 in. Ginger (Fresh Finely Grated)

4 Garlic Cloves Crushed

1 tsp. Turmeric Powder

2 tbsp. Vegetable Oil

100 g. Coriander (Fresh, Roughly Chopped)

100 g. Mint (Fresh)

2 Chilli (Green)

3 tbsp. Lemon Juice

300 g. Basmati Rice

100 g. Split Peas (Yellow)

2 tsp. Salt (Kosher)

¼ tsp. Chilli Powder

2½ in. Ginger (Fresh)

1 Garlic Clove (Minced with the ginger above)

½ tsp. Turmeric Powder

¼ tsp. Turmeric Powder

3 tbsp. Vegetable Oil

100 g. Coriander (Fresh, Roughly Chopped set aside 1 tablespoon)

1 tbsp. Mint (Fresh)

1 Chilli (Green)

1 Lemon Juice

2 Onions (Large Finely Sliced)

5 tbsp. Yoghurt (Full Fat Plain)

30 g. Butter Diced

2 tbsp. Milk (Full Fat)

These two dishes complement each other perfectly and will be cooked side by side. They have been simplified as far as possible.

The pilao. Start by putting the split peas or chana daal with its soaking water and 1/2 tsp turmeric to simmer for about half an hour, lid ajar, till almost tender, in the saucepan; watch it does not turn mushy as it will be cooked again. Drain and tip into a bowl when it's done.

The meat In the wide and heavy pan, put in the meat, onions, salt, chilli powder, ginger, garlic, turmeric, oil and 2 cups of cold water, bring to a simmer, cover and cook for an hour. After this initial cooking, tum up the heat and boil till the sauce is very thick.

Back to the pilao. Boil the rice in the emptied and rinsed daal pan for about 7 minutes till al dente, do not cover and do use enough water allow the rice to boil freely. When it's done, drain and keep uncovered.

Still on the pilao. Heat the 3 tbsp oil in the frying pan and proceed to fry the 2 sliced onions till crisp. Drain and reserve. In the same oil, put in the ginger garlic paste from the pilao list and fry gently till golden, add the 1/4 tsp turmeric, fry, then start adding yogurt a tablespoon at a time, stirring and frying between each spoonful till the liquid evaporates and the solids turn slightly brown. Now add the drained daal, 2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp chilli powder and stir to mix, frying for another minute or so.

Assemble the pilao in the casserole dish by emptying in half the rice, cover with the daal mix from the frying pan, then add the rest of the rice. Spread the ghee and fried onions on top, followed by the juice from 1 lemon, the milk, the coriander, mint and chilli from the pilao list and the garam masala. Cover tightly with foil and the casserole lid, bake for about 30 minutes in a hot oven. Stir gently to serve

Back to the meat now, which should have a lovely thick sauce clinging to it In your mini chopper, whizz together the lemon juice with the coriander, mint and chillies till completely smooth. Pour this over the meat in the pan, stir to mix, simmer for about 5 minutes and serve.