Sumayya Usmani's recipe for Sindhi mutton biryani with sour plums and dried pomegranate

SINDHI biryani is an aromatic and spicy biryani, though the addition of potatoes, sour dried plums and dried pomegranate takes the edge off. This dish should take centre stage on the celebratory dining table, and while the ingredients list is long and it must be cooked with dedication, it’s such a wonderful and worthwhile dish to make for a special occasion. Traditionally the rice and curry is layered twice, but I find that once is enough.

Preparation 45 minutes + 1 hour soaking | Cooking about 1 hour 15 minutes | Serves 8-10

Ingredients

3-4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into thick chunks

50ml/2 fl oz/scant ¼ cup vegetable oil

6 green cardamom pods

2 black cardamom pods

1 cinnamon stick

2 bay leaves

2 tsp each of coriander (cilantro) seeds and black cumin (or cumin) seeds

1 tsp aniseed or fennel seeds

2 star anise

1 piece of mace

4 medium red onions, finely chopped

2 tsp each of grated ginger and crushed garlic

1kg/2¼lb mutton leg, cut into chunks, with bone

5 tomatoes, roughly chopped

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tbsp ground anardana (dried pomegranate)

salt, to taste

10–15 dried plums (aloo bukharas)

2 green chillies chopped

200g/7oz/scant 1 cup Greek yoghurt

For the rice

350g/12oz/1¾ cups basmati rice

To steam

1 tbsp kewra (screwpine water) or rose water

2 large pinches of saffron threads

1 tbsp ghee

1 lemon, cut into slices

Few mint leaves

Par-boil the potatoes in a large saucepan until par-cooked, then drain. Set aside.

Wash the rise, rinse and soak it in a bowl of water for 1 hour, then drain and par-boil for 3-4 minutes and drain. Soak the saffron threads in another bowl of hot milk for

15 minutes.

Heat the oil in a saucepan with a lid over a medium heat. Add the whole spices and allow to splutter. Add the onions and cook for 8–10 minutes until light brown. Add the ginger and garlic paste and cook until the raw smell disappears. Add the mutton and fry until it is sealed all over. Add the tomatoes, turmeric, dried pomegranate powder, salt, dried plums and green chilli and cook over a medium-high heat, stirring constantly for about 10 minutes, or until the oil rises to the top and the tomatoes are soft.

Add the yoghurt and cook for about 10-15 minutes, stirring constantly, until the oil rises to the surface of the curry. Cover with a lid and cook for a further 10 minutes. You should be left with a thick curry with oil rising on the top. If it gets too thick then add a few splashes of water and reduce the heat to low until the oil rises back on the top. Add the par-boiled potatoes; at this point the meat should also be cooked through. Layer the par-boiled rice on top of the meat in the pan then sprinkle the kewra, saffron and ghee over the top. Add lemon slices and mint. Cover the pan with foil firmly around the edges, cover tightly with the lid, reduce the heat to low, and let it cook in its own steam for about 10-15 minutes. If you have a heat diffuser it will help the rice steam evenly. The key is that when you remove the foil, steam should rise to the top and the rice should be standing on end. Anything further and the rice will be overcooked.

When ready, using a dessertspoon, stir the rice into the layers carefully so not to break the rice. Serve hot with a simple raita.

Extracted from Summers Under The Tamarind Tree: Recipes And Memories From Pakistan published by Frances Lincoln