Zardalu Polo Persian Lamb And Apricot Pilaf Recipes

Steps:

• Heat butter in heavy pan and fry onion until golden.
• Add meat and brown on all sides.
• Season to taste with salt, pepper, turmeric and cinnamon.
• Mix in raisins and apricots.
• Add water (about 3/4 cup) to cover.
• Cover and simmer over very low heat 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours or until meat is very tender.
• Stir occasionally to prevent scorching, adding water if necessary.
• Texture should be thick but pourable.
• Boil 4 cups water, add 1/2 teaspoon salt and rice.
• Bring to boil again and boil 2 minutes, then reduce heat, cover pan and cook over low heat 10 to 15 minutes or until almost tender.
• Fluff with fork.
• Arrange rice and stew in alternate layers in heavy saucepan, beginning and ending with layers of rice.
• Set over very low heat, stretch clean cloth over pot and place cover over cloth.
• Steam 20 minutes, or until rice is tender.

Steps:

• Dry-fry the pine nuts or almonds in a large pan until lightly toasted, then tip onto a plate. Add the oil to the pan, then fry the onion and cinnamon together until starting to turn golden. Turn up the heat, stir in the lamb, fry until the meat changes colour, then tip in the rice and cook for 1 min, stirring all the time.
• Pour in 500ml boiling water, crumble in the stock cube, add the apricots, then season to taste. Turn the heat down, cover and simmer for 12 mins until the rice is tender and the stock has been absorbed. Toss in the pine nuts and mint and serve.

Steps:

• In a large skillet, sauté one of the onions in the oil and 1 tblsp of the butter over moderate-high heat until browned lightly and transfer it with a slotted spoon to a bowl.
• Brown the lamb in batches, transferring it to the bowl.
• Return lamb mixture to skillet, add the apricots and stock, and simmer the mixture, covered, for 1 hour, or until lamb is very tender.
• In another skillet, sauté the remaining onion, green pepper and the garlic in the remaining 4 tblsps butter over moderate-high heat until the onion begins to brown.
• Stir in the almonds, tomato, raisins and the rice and cook over moderate heat, stirring, for 2 minutes, or until rice is slightly translucent.
• Add salt and pepper to taste and 4 cups of water.
• Bring to the boil and simmer, covered, 12 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
• In a large casserole, spread 1/3 of the rice mixture in an even layer.
• Spoon ½ the lamb mixture over rice.
• Top with half the remaining rice, the lamb and what’s left of the rice (5 layers in all).
• Cook, covered, in 350F (175C) oven until heated through, about 20 minutes.
• Serve with yoghurt.