Playing the ace card
20 Feb, 2009. 24 Comments. Leave a comment
Quick lamb pulao in biryani spices for cosy times in
I showed up at the exposed brick, loft-style bar looking like a green goblin in what was once a trendy balloon top. The day had been spent trialling a new chilli chocolate cake recipe. The result didn’t look like it would cause bodily harm.
I am improving every week.
As I handed it over to the manager with instructions about when to bring it out for the birthday girl, she dropped the bombshell. The bar has a cakeage charge of £1.50 per person.
Or I could buy their birthday cake at the bargain basement price of £45 for 6 portions.
I tried every trick imaginable:
- That’s more than what it cost me to bake the damn thing.
- But the cake isn’t worth the charge!
And finally, when my long face wouldn’t melt their cold hearts. I pulled the ace card: I spent all day baking that over eight months pregnant.
Cakeage cancelled. Job done.
Shame I have only three weeks more of this fantastic opportunity. Like me, my social life is now slowly grinding to a halt. London Fashion Week – decline. Award-winning theatre – pass. All replaced by cosy nights in with friends and wholesome one-pot meals.
Like this Lamb Pulao. The biggest difference between a pulao and biryani is complexity. So I cooked the dish quickly like a pulao but with a number of biryani-style spices for added oomph. It was just what a friend and I needed with a glass of quality red vino on a Wednesday night.
PS= This took a good 1.5 hours to make. But I ate it for three meals so it was highly time-effective
PPS= You could use a pressure cooker to stew the lamb. One whistle and then 10 minutes. Then lid off to dry up the curry
Feeds 6:
- 1kg lamb chunks (I used a mix of chops and diced lamb on the bone)
- 500gm Basmati rice
- 1 medium onion
For the lamb:
- 2 large onions
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 inches ginger
- 2 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- Half tsp turmeric powder
- Half tsp mace powder
- Half tsp freshly ground nutmeg
- One inch stick cinnamon
- 2 tbsp thick yogurt
- 2 green finger chillies
- 10 sprigs fresh coriander
- Salt to taste
- 2 tbsp oil
For the rice:
- 2 black cardamoms
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 1 star anise
- 1 tbsp ghee
- Salt to taste
First cook the lamb. Slice the two onions and puree together the ginger, garlic, cinnamon with a tablespoon of water. Better still you could just use ginger garlic paste and some cinnamon powder to save time.
Fry the onions until pale golden in hot oil over a high flame. Add the ginger garlic paste and fry for another 5 minutes until the masala turns a darker shade of gold. Chope up the chillies and coriander.
Next, go in with all the spices and the lamb. Stir vigorously for five minutes until the meat darkens. Mix in the yogurt, half a cup of hot water and cook covered on a medium flame for 45 minutes stirring regularly until the lamb softens. Then take the lid off and let the curry dry up.
Now get the rice going by washing it thoroughly under cold running water. In a large pot, bring the ghee to heat over a high flame. When it’s hot, chuck in the whole spices and let them sizzle for a few seconds. Then measure the washed rice in a cup, add it to the pot and saute for a minute until it turns bright white.
Then stir in the meat, 1.5 cups of hot water, bring to a boil and then simmer on a low flame for 15 minutes until the rice absorbs all the liquids. That fluffy texture is all important, so don’t stir the rice more than two times when it’s cooking and don’t add water unless your rice remains uncooked.
Serve with the remaining onion sliced and fried on top and a raita on the side.
Good pull off Mallika. I can’t believe it….only 3 more weeks? Enjoy your cozy nights in!
Reading about pregnant woman in a balloon top –> momentary chuckle
Looking up balloon tops and remembering your post with new understanding–> hilarious!
But seriously, the pulao looks soooooooo yum!
Thats really so soon…:)..but I am sure you are going to enjoy it…pulao looks yum!
yummy pulao mallika
Pulao looks scrumptious. $1.50 to serve cakes? what a rip off only 3 weeks left? Take care and sleep all you can.
That looks lovely, as always. Also, thank you for talking about the difference between biryani and pulao. I’ve often wondered, but never quite been able to figure it out. Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy!
Hahhahha! What a great story Mallika!
Ha ha, that’s a great story mallika, post the recipe for the cake too. this pulao looks absolutely fabulous Mallika.
The pulao looks fantastic! Thats a nice trump card u got there
But you are an awesome friend…going to all that trouble to bake a cake for ur friend! And all the best for the new arrival 
You only get a few opportunities to use that excuse – milk it!
Mmm, lamb pulao – delicious!
Hi Mallika, was bust=y cooking for Shiva Ratri, just checked your comment.
Anoop got kicked out already, not fair at all, he is very good singer. He is going to be Trisha’s college mate too come next August, so we were rooting for him.Oh well…their loss!
Biryani is the hardest and longest to cook but tastes fab in the end. Your strategy is good, make a lot anyway when you are cooking and eat for many days, can freeze as well. Enjoy!
That was “busy” not bust=y! Hahaha! can you tell I am in a hurry!
Only 3 more weeks !!!!!!! Wow, take care and have loads of that pulao, which is scrumptious
yummy,..tk cre,…..:-)
There are two reasons I am one day looking forward to being pregnant (other than the obvious outcome of a baby) and they are:
a) I will be able balance a dinner tray on my belly
&
b) People will do what I want more often.
Great story. Wonderful recipe too. Shall be making this very soon.
Eh….where did my comment go
Just wanted to congratulate you and wish you all the best 
just 3 more weeks? god!!! time just flies…
tc girl
Good for you for using that excuse!
That lamb pulao/biryani looks awesome.
First time I heard of a cakeage charge, but then, why not? Any way to make money …
Enjoy!
I bought a copy of Easy Living today – the April issue. It’s the one where I am interviewed about having a slipped disc and coping with pain.
The photos made me laugh! I was photo-shot out of existence. I look good but no one recognises me.(My version: http://tinyurl.com/8nzvyn)
Sorry to be me-me-me. Keep up the good work. You are doing superbly. xxx
Bhalo acho to ?
Did you ever figure out what mace powder was exactly? I found contradictory claims on the web. Any idea what it is in, say, Hindi?
I remember getting a lot of attention while pregnant – and you get them when you have a little one with you, as well
. So you have a lot more than 3 weeks before you’ll have to turn in your privileges!
Deepa
Gosh, lovely dish. I love lamb, this looks so great
most of the blogs out there that cook Indian are vegetarian, nice to see a piece of spicy super flavored meat once in a while 
I love your food and your videos…. More please… Thanks for a wonderful site..