3 tbsp curry powder (You can also use biryani powder/paste)
4 tbsp ghee (I used canola oil)
¼ tsp saffron (add 2 tbsp milk/water to this)
for the rice
4 cups rice, washed, soaked for 30 minutes and strain (I used a 250 ml cup)
2 cardamom
1 star anise
3 cloves
1 stick Cinnamon
1 onion – sliced
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
3 tbsp ghee or butter (I used ghee)
Salt to taste
Garnishing
10 cashew nuts (Roasted or fried)
¼ cup chopped cilantro
¼ cup chopped mint leaves
2 tbsp raisins
Instructions
Method for the lamb gravy
In a wok, add ghee/oil and caramelize the diced onions and green chili. Add cardamom n cinnamon. Mix in ginger and garlic paste and saute for a minute.
Add tomato paste to the wok and saute for another minute. Mix in the curry powder and continue sauteing till the spices are fragrant. This takes about 10 to 15 minutes.
Add the lamb and tomatoes and cook till the lamb is almost tender.
Finally add in yogurt, almond meal, cilantro, mint and salt.
Cook till the lamb is tender and the sauce thickens.
For the rice
In an electric rice cooker, boil 4 cups of water. Use the same cup that was used to measure the rice.
In a pan, add the ghee/oil and fry the cardamon, star anise, cinnamon and cloves for 1 minute.
Add onion and fry till golden
Mix in ginger and garlic paste and fry for another minute.
Add this mixture to the boiling water.
Add in rice and season with 1 tsp of salt.
Cook as per normal.
Bringing it all together
Once the rice is cooked, take out half of the rice from the rice cooker.
Pour the lamb and some of the sauce onto the rice that is in the rice cooker.
Top with half of the garnishing.
Place the other half of the rice above the garnishes and finally top with the remaining garnishing.
Make little holes in the rice and pour in the saffron water.
Press the cook button on the rice cooker one more time and let it cook for another 10 minutes or till you can see steam escaping from the rice cooker.
Serve with the extra lamb gravy.
Notes
Ghee is clarified butter. To read more about Ghee, go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghee