Meats Recipes - Keema Pulao

Ingredients

• 100 g/4 oz/2/3 cup brown lentils, soaked

• 450 g/1 lb/2 cups basmati rice

• 2 bay leaves

• 2 large potatoes, sliced

• 10 ml/2 tsp ground turmeric

• 30 ml/2 tbsp boiling water

• 60 ml/4 tbsp groundnut (peanut) oil

• 4 onions, thinly sliced

• 125 g/8 oz/2 cups minced (ground) beef or lamb

• 10 ml/2 tsp grated fresh root ginger

• 1 garlic clove, crushed

• 1 red chili, seeded and chopped

• 1 small pieces cinnamon stick , cardamom pods, split

• 1 whole clove

• 150ml/2/3 cup plain yoghurt

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Method:

1. Cook the lentils in plenty of boiling water for about 1 hour until tender. Drain if needed.

2. Cook the rice in plenty of boiling salted water with the bay leaves for 10 minutes or until just tender, drain and discard the bay leaves.

3. Place the potatoes in a bowl. Blend the turmeric with the boiling water and stir half the mixture into the potatoes. Leave to soak.

4. Heat half of the oil in a pan and fry (sauté) the onions until golden brown. Transfer a quarter of the onions to a saucepan.

5. Add the minced meat and all the spices. Cover with water, bring to the boil and simmer, stirring occasionally, until all the water has evaporated.

6. Meanwhile, drain the potatoes and pat dry on kitchen paper. Fry in the remaining oil until golden. Put half the cooked rice in the base of a large, greased casserole (Dutch oven).

7. Spread the meat over, then all the cooked lentils. Blend the remaining onions with the yoghurt and a little salt and pepper.

8. Spoon over, then top with the potatoes and then the remaining rice. Drizzle the remaining turmeric liquid over.

9. Cover tightly and cook in the oven at 160°C/325°F/gas mark 3 for about 45 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.