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lamb pulao rice

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Lamb Pulao Rice is a delicious baked-rice dish made with minced lamb and aromatic spices. It's almost like a biryani but without the hassle or food coloring! Unlike traditional biryani, which is made with layers of rice and diced meat, this recipe uses minced lamb for a simpler yet equally satisfying dish.

The result is an excellent, delicately spiced combination of succulent lamb mince and fluffy rice. Serve it with a mint raita for a refreshing contrast to the rich lamb flavors.

Yes, the ingredients list might seem daunting at first, but with a bit of organisation, it's completely manageable — I promise! Prep your ingredients into five separate containers the night before, clear away the jars and pots, and the next day you'll breeze through the recipe. Once your spices are ready, the rest is straightforward.

For best results, use non stick pan then transfere to a Dutch oven to bake or any dish that works both on the hob and in the oven.

Click the Method tab below to see a step-by-step guide on how to make Lamb Pulao Rice along with some pictures as a guide.

lamb pulao rice in dish

ingredients

Here's what you need :¬)

serves 4 - 6

ingredients rice

  • 230g basmati rice*
  • 2 liter cold water
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 liter boiling water
  • 3 Tbsp ghee to dress (optional)**

*Soak the rice for 30 minutes

**This goes on top of the dish prior to baking. You could use butter or even olive oil, but Ghee is the best option.

ingredients whole spices

  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 2 Indian bay leaves
  • 3 black cardamom pods crushed, seeds removed, discard the husks
  • 8 black peppercorns
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds

ingredients wet / fresh

  • 3 Tbsp Ghee or vegetable oil
  • 3 medium onions sliced
  • 1 whole garlic bulb, peeled into cloves & sliced
  • 3cm fresh ginger shredded
  • 3 green chillies sliced
  • 3 small tomatoes chopped
  • 1 tsp tamarind concentrate
  • 600g lamb mince

ingredients ground

  • 1 tsp sea salt crushed
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp chilli powder
  • 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
  • 2 tsp garam masala powder
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp ground black peppercorns
  • 2 tsp kasoori methi (dried fenigreek leaves)

ingredients mint raita

  • 3 Tbsp greek yogurt
  • 2 tsp mint sauce
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • dash of lemon juice

method

First of all, get your rice onto soak in cold water and have all your ingredients prepared, chopped and ready in the order that the ingredients are listed - see below. If that is not yet done, do not heat your pan or you will get in a muddled mess! — creating unnecessary mess & making you Nutty....Get a timer and set it for 30 minutes as you put your rice onto soak

So, this is what I mean about sorting your ingredients out before you start:

get everything out
ingredients all
sort the spices into pots & piles
ingredients aromats
finally prep everything ready
ingredients ready

now we're ready to cook!

Now that your rice has soaked for 30 minutes:

  1. Heat a heavy based pan on a high heat
  2. add ghee or oil, once it is shimmering add your whole spices (cinnamon, bay, black cardamom, black peppercorns & cumin seeds)
add whole spices
frying whole spices in a pan
  1. as soon as they begin to sizzle, add the garlic & onions, cook for 5 minutes
  2. add ginger & chillies, cook for 10 minutes, stir regularly
add ginger & chillies
chillies and ginger added pan
  1. add chopped tomatoes & 1 tsp salt, cook for 5 minutes
  2. add the remaining ground spices ( turmeric, chilli, garam masala, coriander, cumin, black pepper, kasoori methi (dried fenigreek leaves) & tamarind concentrate) cook for 2 minutes
cook spices for 2 mins
cooked onions and spices
  1. now add in your lamb mince, breaking it down while browning it
add mince
meat added to onions and spices
  1. once browned, lower the heat, cover & cook for 12 minutes
  2. preheat the oven to 180c & drain your soaked rice
  3. boil a kettle with 1 liter of water, add to a pan with rice & salt
  4. place onto the hob on highest heat until it fully boils
  5. cook the rice for just 3 to 4 minutes, then drain immediately
  6. remove the lid from your lamb & take the cinnamon stick & bay leaves out then spread the meat evenly in the pan
  7. scatter a layer of rice over the mince
spread the meat evenly
meat cooked
scatter rice over the meat
rice added to pan
  1. dot a few spots of ghee across the top of the rice
dot rice with ghee
rice dotted with ghee
  1. cover with a tight fitting lid & bake the dish in the pre-heated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, then test the rice for doneness & serve

Make the raita

raita ingredients
ingredients raita
  1. to make your raita simple mix everything together with a fork & serve ;-) thin it down with a little milk or water if too thick
cooked lamb pulao
cooked lamb pualao rice in pan
dig in & serve!
meat revealed under rice

Delve into this pot of treasure and let the rich aroma of spices and succulent lamb fill your dining room with irresistible warmth.

Serving suggestion for Lamb Pulao

lamb pulao rice
lamb pulao rice in a dish

Simply a bowl & fork nothing more is required

This is the most lamb tasting lamb dish ever. Enjoy :-P

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