Lamb Akhni
4 potatoes
¼ cup butter
¼ tsp powdered orange food colouring
2 large onions
1 tsp dried thyme salt to taste
2 tsp dhania
2 tsp jeera seeds
2 tsp fennel seed
3 cinnamon sticks
2 star anise
4 cloves
5 elachi
2 bay leaves
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground black pepper
2 tsp ginger and garlic paste 2 tbs chilli powder
2 sprigs curry leaves
½ tsp saffron
2kg lamb
2 tbs tomato paste
3 cups rice
5 cups of boiling water (4 cups of boiling water if using basmati rice)
3-4 tsp salt (according to your taste)
1-2 cups of frozen peas
5 boiled eggs (optional) 125g butter or ghee (cubes)
In an oven safe pot, fry the peeled, quartered and coloured potatoes in the butter. (I did not peel the potatoes, just scrubbed and quartered because we like it this way sometimes) with the onion, dried thyme and salt until potatoes are half done.
Remove potatoes and half the onions, and keep aside. Add the freshly roasted and ground dhania and jeera seeds, fennel seed, 3 cinnamon sticks, 2 star anise, cloves, elachi and bay leaves. Add the turmeric, ground black pepper, ginger and garlic paste, chilli powder, curry leaves and saffron, and braise for about 5 minutes until spices are cooked.
Add the cut, washed and drained lamb, mix well and cook for 15 minutes on medium heat. Add the tomato paste, rice that has been soaked for a minimum of 3 hours (if using basmati rice, don’t soak) and washed. Add 5 cups of boiling water (4 cups of boiling water if using basmati rice), 3-4 tsp salt (according to your taste) and bring to the boil. Cook on medium-high heat until water is almost completely absorbed.
Add the frozen peas if using and gently mix into the akhni together with the fried onions that you kept aside. If using boiled eggs, place them into the akhni at this stage. Spread fried potatoes over the top, add a few blobs of butter over, cover pot with foil, and then the lid, and bake in a preheated oven at 180ºC for 45 minutes or until all the liquid is totally absorbed and potatoes are cooked through.
Note: Chicken can be used instead of lamb. Potatoes can also be roasted separately and add to the cooked akhni for a crispier texture.