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Fruity lamb kofta biryani

Fruity lamb kofta biryani

This dish takes a lot of preparation, but it is well worth the effort. The wonderful flavour of the lamb koftas marries well with the fruity rice. Once this dish is assembled it can be put aside in the refrigerator and heated through when required.

  • Serves: 6
  • Difficulty: medium
  • Prep time:
  • Cooking time:
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Ingredients

    Lamb koftas

    • 500 g minced lamb
    • 1 onion, grated
    • 1 large egg, beaten
    • 10 ml (2 tsp) grated fresh ginger root
    • 5 ml (1 tsp) crushed garlic
    • 10 ml (2 tsp) garam masala
    • ½ green chilli, chopped
    • ½ red chilli, chopped
    • 25 ml (5 tsp) chopped mint
    • rind of l lime
    • salt to taste
    • cooking oil for frying
    • Fried onions
    • 3 onions, sliced
    • Oil for frying

    Masala sauce

    • 45 ml (3 tbsp) sunflower oil
    • 2 onions, finely chopped
    • 30 ml (2 tbsp) grated fresh ginger root
    • 15 ml (1 tbsp) crushed garlic
    • 1 cinnamon stick
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 2 cardamom pods
    • 1 x 410 g can chopped tomatoes
    • 50 ml water
    • 5 ml (1 tsp) ground cumin
    • 5 ml (1 tsp) ground coriander
    • 3 ml garam masala
    • 5 ml (1 tsp) ground turmeric
    • salt to taste
    • 3 ml red chilli powder
    • 45 – 60 ml natural yoghurt

    Clementine mixture

    • 3 clementines or naartjies
    • 100 g dried apricots
    • 100 g dried prunes, de-pipped
    • juice of 1 large orange

    Rice

    • 2 onions, sliced
    • 30 ml (2 tbsp) sunflower oil
    • 450 g Spekko India Gate Classic Basmati Rice
    • 2 cardamom pods
    • 2 cinnamon sticks
    • 4 cloves
    • 2 bay leaves

    To assemble

    • 60 g butter
    • 300 ml natural yoghurt flavoured with 25 ml Harissa paste
    • bunch of fresh coriander, washed and stalks and leaves separated, chopped

Method

    1. Make the koftas by combining the minced lamb, onion, egg, ginger root, garlic, garam masala, chillies, mint, lime and salt into a bowl. Mix well until it is blended together. Shape the mince mixture into meatballs.
    2. Heat a little oil in a wok or large frying pan and fry on either side for 2-3 minutes. Set aside.
    3. Fry the 3 sliced onions in hot oil until crisp. Set aside.
    4. Make the masala sauce next: Heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the onions and sauté over a moderate heat until translucent.
    5. Add the ginger, garlic and whole spices. Fry for 1 – 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and water then cover and cook on a medium-heat. Cook until the mixture becomes a pulp. Add spices, salt, chilli and yoghurt and mix well.
    6. Prepare the clementine mixture next: Grate the zest of the clementines. Peel and segment the clementines. Add half the zest, orange juice and the apricots and prunes. Mix gently together.
    7. Allow fruit to marinate for at least 60 minutes, then drain and reserve the liquid.
    8. To prepare the rice, sauté the onion in a little oil until golden brown then set aside.
    9. Wash the rice then place in a saucepan with the cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves and half of the chopped coriander leaves.
    10. Boil rice for 10 – 15 minutes until tender then drain and add salt to taste. Add the remaining citrus zest.
    11. Preheat the oven to 160°C.
    12. Melt butter and pour into the bottom of an oven proof dish; then add a layer of half the rice mixture. Follow with a layer of ½ the fried onions, then half the naartjie or clementine mixture.
    13. Add all lamb koftas in one layer then cover with the masala sauce. Add a layer of the remaining rice, then the clementine mixture and top with the fried onions.
    14. Pour over any reserved juice from the fruit.
    15. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 – 45 minutes.
    16. Garnish with the fresh coriander and yoghurt.