SOUTH AFRICAN MALAY LAMB BREYANI (OR CHICKEN)

South African Malay Lamb Breyani (Or Chicken) image

This is from "Culture & Cuisine of the Cape Malays" by Cass Abrahams, a well-known Malay cookery expert. It's not the way I would make it, but more traditional. I use the spices, but would make a meat main dish from it. Please note that Cass talks of mutton, although we make this dish in its many variations with chicken or beef or even pork (the latter is not eaten by Muslims). Her instructions are quite sparse, and you might have to use your own initiative here.

Provided by Zurie

Time 2h30m

Yield 6-8 serving(s)

Number Of Ingredients 24

Ingredients

4 cups basmati rice
1 piece cassia (ZEE ( you can use a little nutmeg instead)
2 cardamom pods
salt
1 cup lentils, brown
2 onions, thinly sliced
1 cup vegetable oil
4 medium potatoes, peeled and halved
2 1/4 lbs mutton (ZEE ( use lamb or chicken)
2 cups plain yogurt
14 ounces tinned chopped tomatoes
2 cinnamon sticks (ZEE ( use 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon if no sticks available)
4 allspice berries (ZEE ( use 1/2 t. ground allspice if no berries)
6 whole cloves
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon chopped fresh gingerroot
2 teaspoons crushed garlic
2 tablespoons masala (ZEE ( a spicy mix, like a mild and spicy curry, but no bite)
salt
1 pinch saffron (ZEE ( use a 1/2 teaspoon turmeric)
1/2 cup butter
1 cup water

Steps:

(Masala, a ground mixture of different spices, is available from Indian shops).
Boil rice, cassia, cardamom and salt in sufficient water to cover. Drain and set aside. Boil lentils in sufficient water to cover until almost soft. Drain and set aside.
Fry onions in oil until golden, remove with slotted spoon and set aside. Fry onions in same oil until golden, remove and set aside.
Mix everything for the marinade together.
Place the meat in a large bowl with half the fried onions and cover with the marinade. Leave for at least 1 hour.
Pour the used oil into a large saucepan. Sprinkle 2 cups cooked rice over the oil, then arrange the meat with its marinade over the rice.
Layer lentils, potatoes and the rest of the rice over the meat.
Layer remaining onions over potatoes and sprinkle over saffron (or turmeric).
Dot with the butter, pour the cup of water over, and close saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Cook for 10 minutes over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer 1 hour or more until meat is tender.
(Okay, I won't make it this way, but this is true-blue Malay down to all that oil! Which you can reduce!).

Nutrition Facts : Calories 1606.5, Fat 89.3, SaturatedFat 29.6, Cholesterol 214.5, Sodium 321.1, Carbohydrate 137.9, Fiber 11.9, Sugar 9.9, Protein 63.3