Wednesday 5 July 2017

Lamb Keema Pulao with Cucumber Onion Raita.



Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

When you're in the mood for a pulao, only a pulao will do.
And, this lamb keema version comes together pretty quickly when compared to the traditional lamb one..
We all love the classic pulao whether chicken or lamb, but they can take a while to put together. The stock or yakhni is probably the most time consuming and none of it is required in this keema pulao today.
I first made a keema pulao at the beginning of the year. It went down really well for a weekend lunch and we had the best dessert after it too. I baked this giant chocolate chip cookie but rubbed orange zest into the sugar before adding in to make a chocolate orange flavour. So good! Especially drizzled with this hot fudge sauce and eaten with vanilla whipped cream. See more pictures in this post! Guys, you should make this keema pulao and serve that same dessert after. Your guests will love you forever.
And, whilst the pulao is steaming (about 20-25 minutes), use your time wisely and make a cucumber onion raita to go alongside. The pulao is pretty soft so the addition of the cool, crunchy yoghurt sauce with it is one of the most classic Pakistani combinations I know of.
I first made the raita one Eid and immediately fell in love with it. Which is pretty shocking considering I normally am not the biggest raw onion fan. But guys, the way that the raita has grated cucumber, mint sauce and thinly sliced red onion running all the way through it, is the best. This meal has both of our (and your!) favourites in one - keema curry and lamb pulao. The best thing is that this lighter and quicker version is perfect for Summer.

A Simple List of Ingredients:

For the Lamb Keema Pulao:
1. Basmati Rice
2. Vegetable Oil
3. Onions
4. Green Chillies
5. Lamb Mince
6. Ginger Paste
7. Garlic Paste
8. Tomato
9. Salt
10. Cloves
11. Cumin Seeds
12. Black Cardamoms
13. Green Cardamoms
14. Ground Coriander
15. Potatoes
16. Water
17. Frozen Peas
18. Lemon Juice

For the Cucumber Onion Raita:
1. Natural or Greek Yoghurt
2. Cucumber
3. Red Onion
4. Mint Sauce
5. Water or Milk
6. Salt and Black Pepper

Bismillah, let's begin!

We start by washing and soaking our main ingredient - the rice! Take 350g (1 and 1/2 cups) Basmati Rice.

Wash the rice in a few changes of cold water until the water runs clear. Cover with more water and leave it soak for at least 30 minutes before cooking.

Meanwhile, let's brown our onions which is by far, the most important part of any pulao. I like to use the widest pot I have to make pulao. So, place a large, wide pot that has a lid over a medium heat and add in 60ml (1/4 cup) Vegetable Oil.

Peel and ....

.... thinly slice 3 Onions.

As you're slicing, throw a few into the pan to see how hot the oil is. You want the onions to sizzle when they go in.

When the oil is hot enough, add in the sliced onions. Give them a stir and let them start frying.

Next, thinly slice 3 Green Chillies.

Add them into the pan. You can add more or less depending on how spicy you want things.

Stir fry the onions and chillies until the onions are a dark golden brown colour. This dark colour is what will give our pulao its signature colour and flavour. Add more oil, if the pan is too dry. You really want those onions to fry!

Next, we're going to de-glaze our pan and soften the onions with a little water. So, turn the heat right down and add a splash of water.

Immediately cover the pan with its lid for a few seconds.

Then, uncover and turn the heat up.

Stir fry the onions and let them soften - around 2 minutes.

Next, the lamb mince! Take 600g (1 pound and 5 ounces) Lamb Mince. I've never tried but I'm sure this recipe would be just as good with the same amount of either chicken mince or beef mince.

Add in the lamb mince.

Stir fry the lamb mince over a high heat for around 5 minutes or until a deep brown colour.

The perfect time to snack on summer goodness - the sweetest mango and orange.

Once the lamb is the right colour, we can spice it up.

Add in 1 teaspoon Ginger Paste and 1 teaspoon Garlic Paste.

Stir fry until everything is really fragrant.

Then, chop up 1 large Tomato.

Add it in.

Along with salt, ground coriander and few whole spices which will really give our pulao its deep flavour.

So, measure out:
1 and 1/2 teaspoons Salt
4 Cloves
2 teaspoons Cumin Seeds
5 Black Cardamoms
4 Green Cardamoms
2 teaspoons Ground Coriander

Throw them on in!

Stir fry over a medium heat for a few minutes to wake up all those whole spices.

Then, turn the heat down to low and cover the pan with its lid for 10 minutes.

After 10 minutes, uncover.

Let's add in the potatoes. I used 500g Potatoes. These were Jersey Royals - so good!

Wash and chop the potatoes into equal-sized chunks. I didn't bother peeling them but you peel away, if you prefer. Also, you can par-boil the potatoes if you want. If you do, add them later on with the rice so that they don't overcook.

In go the potatoes.

Give them a stir!

Time for the water! Pour in 750ml (3 cups) Water. If you're using cups, use the same cup to measure the water as you did the rice.

Give the water a stir and bring to the boil.

At this point, taste the liquid for salt. For a pulao, you want it to be saltier than normal. I added in an extra 1 and 1/2 teaspoons Salt.

Once the water has boiled ...

... drain and add in the rice.

And, peas! I used 150g Frozen Peas. Mixed frozen veg would be good here too.

In went the peas.

Give everything a gentle stir ...

... and bring to the boil. Once boiling, let the rice bubble until most of the liquid has been absorbed - around 5 minutes.

Once this happened, we can steam the rice.

Cover the pan with a tight lid and place a heavy object on top to help with the steaming. Let the steam build over a high heat before turning the heat down to the lowest and steaming for 20-25 minutes until all the water has been absorbed and the potatoes are cooked.

While the rice does its thing, let's use our time wisely and make a cucumber onion raita. All you do is stir together:
250g Natural or Greek Yoghurt
1/2 Cucumber, grated
1 small Red Onion, peeled and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons Mint Sauce
Water or Milk, to loosen
Salt and Black Pepper, to taste

When the rice is done, turn off the heat.

And, squeeze the Juice of 1/2 Lemon. Add the whole thing if you want it more lemony.

Give the pulao a gentle toss and serve!

Guys, when you're in the mood for a pulao, only a pulao will do. And, this one is meaty without being too time-consuming!

Serve the hot pulao with the cooling, crunchy raita and lemon wedges. So good!

Lamb Keema Pulao with Cucumber Onion Raita.

Prep Time: None, especially if you prep as you cook.
Cook Time: About 1 hour 30 minutes.
Serves: About 6 people.

Ingredients

350g (1 and 1/2 cups) Basmati Rice
60ml (1/4 cup) Vegetable Oil
3 Onions, peeled and sliced
3 Green Chillies, thinly sliced
600g (1 pound and 5 ounces) Lamb Mince
1 teaspoon Ginger Paste
1 teaspoon Garlic Paste
1 large Tomato, chopped
1 and 1/2 teaspoons Salt (plus more, if needed)
4 Cloves
2 teaspoons Cumin Seeds
5 Black Cardamoms
4 Green Cardamoms
2 teaspoons Ground Coriander
500g Potatoes, peeled and cut into equal-sized chunks
750ml (3 cups) Water
150g Frozen Peas
Juice of 1/2 Lemon

For the Cucumber Onion Raita
250g Natural or Greek Yoghurt
1/2 Cucumber, grated
1 small Red Onion, peeled and thinly sliced
3 tablespoons Mint Sauce
Water or Milk, to loosen
Salt and Black Pepper, to taste

Wash and soak the rice:
Wash the rice in a few changes of cold water until the water runs clear. Cover with water and soak for at least 30 minutes before cooking.

Brown the onions:
Heat the vegetable oil in a large, wide pan over a medium heat. Add the onions and green chillies. Fry until the onions are a dark golden brown colour. Turn the heat right down, add a splash of water and immediately cover the pan with a lid. After a few seconds, uncover and turn the heat up. Stir fry the onions and let the soften - about 2 minutes.

Time for the lamb and spices:
Add in the lamb mince and break it up with your spoon. Stir fry over a high heat for 5 minutes or until a deep brown colour. Add in the ginger paste and garlic paste. Stir fry until fragrant. Add in the tomatoes, salt, cloves, cumin seeds, black cardamoms and green cardamoms. Stir everything in and fry for a few minutes. Then, cover the pan with a lid and turn the heat right down. Let the mince cook for 10 minutes.

Potatoes, rice and peas:
Uncover and stir in the potatoes. Pour in the water and bring to the boil. Taste the liquid at this point for salt and add more if needed - it should be saltier than normal. I added in an extra 1 and 1/2 teaspoons salt. Drain the rice and add it in. Throw in the peas too. Stir and boil again. Let the rice bubble until most of the liquid has been absorbed - about 5 minutes.

Let's steam:
Cover the pan with a tight lid and place a heavy object on top. Let the steam build up over a high heat for a few seconds then turn the heat right down. Leave the rice to steam for 20-25 minutes until all the water has been absorbed and the potatoes are cooked through.

Make the raita:
Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Done! You can easily double or triple the recipe as needed.

Serve:
Give the pulao a gentle toss and pop into a serving dish. Serve with the raita and a cold drink. Yum!

Recipe Notes
  • If using cups to measure the rice and water, be sure to use the same cup.
  • You may also par-boil the potatoes before adding them in. If done this way, I would add them with the rice so that they don't overcook.

Lamb Mince, previously:



Keep me in your duas please, and enjoy your keema pulao!

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu!


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