Pakistani Lamb Biryani

• 1 cup canola oil
• 3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons garam masala
• 1 teaspoon crushed red chili pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 18 black peppercorns
• 9 green cardamom pods
• 3 pods black cardamom pods
• 4 inches cinnamon sticks
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 tomatoes, cored and minced
• 5 serrano chilies, stemmed and minced
• 1 1/2 inches piece ginger, peeled and minced
• 2 lbs trimmed lamb shoulder, cut into 2/3-inch pieces
• kosher salt, to taste
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 3/4 cup roughly chopped mint leaf
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped cilantro
• 40 saffron strands, crushed (heaping 1A 2 tsp.)
• 2 1/2 cups white basmati rice, soaked in cold
• water, for 30 minutes drained
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seed
• 4 whole cloves
• 2 dried bay leaves
• rose water (optional) or kewra essence (optional)
• red food coloring (optional) or orange food coloring (optional)

1. 1. Heat 1/4 cup oil in a 5-qt. skillet over high heat. Add onions; cook, stirring occasionally, until dark brown, 20-25 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; set aside.
2. 2. Heat remaining oil in a 5-qt. pot over high heat. Add garam masala, chile flakes, turmeric, 10 peppercorns, 5 green cardamom pods, 2 black cardamom pods, and 1 cinnamon stick; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add garlic, tomatoes, chiles, and ginger; cook, stirring, 2-3 minutes. Add lamb, season with salt, and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Cover, reduce heat to medium; cook until lamb is tender, about 1 hour. Add fried onions, yogurt, 1/2 cup mint, and 2 tablespoons cilantro; cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes more. Set aside.
3. 3. Put saffron into a bowl and cover with 1/2 cup hot water; set aside. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a 5-qt. saucepan. Add remaining peppercorns, green and black cardamom, and cinnamon, along with the rice, cumin, cloves, and bay leaves, and season with salt. Cook rice until al dente, 5-10 minutes; drain rice and set aside.
4. 4. Transfer half the lamb curry to a 5-qt. pot. Top lamb with half the rice. Pour half the saffron mixture onto rice along with a few drops of rose water and food coloring (if using); mix into rice with your fingers. Top with remaining lamb curry and remaining rice; drizzle with remaining saffron; mix. Steam, covered, on low heat until rice is tender, about 10 minutes. Garnish with remaining mint and cilantro.

canola oil, yellow onions, garam masala, red chili pepper, turmeric, black, green cardamom pods, black cardamom, cinnamon sticks, garlic, tomatoes, serrano chilies, ginger, lamb shoulder, kosher salt, plain yogurt, mint leaf, cilantro, saffron strands, white basmati rice, water, cumin, cloves, bay leaves, water, red food coloring

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/pakistani-lamb-biryani-467021 (may not work)