Lamb yakhni pulao

Ingredients

• 700 gLamb, shoulder, whole (arm and blade), separable lean and fat, trimmed to 1/4" fat, choice, raw
• 300 gRice, white, long-grain, regular, raw, unenriched
• 200 gOnions, raw
• 20 gGinger root, raw
• 15 gGarlic, raw
• 20 gButter, Clarified butter (ghee)
• 2 gSpices, cardamom
• 2 gSpices, cinnamon, ground
• 1 gSpices, cloves, ground
• 4 gSpices, cumin seed
• 5 gSpices, coriander seed
• 1,000 gBeverages, water, tap, drinking
• 6 gSalt, table

Method

1. Cut lamb shoulder across the grain into 3 cm cubes. Finely chop onion, grate ginger and garlic, and rinse rice three times.
2. Heat ghee to 175 °C in a heavy pot. Bloom cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, cumin and coriander for 30 seconds, then add onion, ginger and garlic and stir for 7 minutes until golden.
3. Add lamb and turn at 175 °C for 7 minutes until sealed. Add 1,000 g water and salt, cover and braise very gently at 90 °C for 80 minutes until the meat yields to a fork.
4. Lift lamb onto a plate. Stir rice into the spiced liquid, cover and cook at 90 °C for 20 minutes until liquid is absorbed and grains are tender.
5. Return lamb to the rice, turn off the heat and rest covered for 5 minutes. Fluff rice with a fork and serve as one dish.