Cook until meat is very tender	Lamb Biryani

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Braised Lamb

Source: St Louis Post-Dispatch, June 3, 2009

YIELD: 2 servings

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Ingredients

• 1 lamb shoulder or shank

• 1 large onion, quartered

• 2 to 4 bay leaves

• 2 to 4 cloves garlic, smashed

• Ground black pepper

• Seasoned salt

• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1/4 tsp ground turmeric

• 1/4 tsp ground cumin

• 1/2 tsp hot or mild curry paste

• 2 Tbsp tomato paste, optional

• 1/2 cup raisins or other dried fruit (such as figs or apricots), optional

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Preparation

Rinse lamb; pat dry. Place a heavy soup pot, Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 cup water, onion, bay leaves and garlic. Sprinkle the meat with pepper and seasoned salt to taste. Rub on cinnamon, turmeric, cumin and curry paste; add meat to pot. Cover and cook over medium heat about 30 minutes, until the mixture is steaming and meat begins to brown lightly.

Add enough cold water to cover the meat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. If desired, add tomato paste and/or dried fruit. Cook 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until meat is very tender and loosened from bones.

When the meat has finished cooking, remove meat from broth. Discard bay leaves. Refrigerate meat and broth separately. When broth is cold, skim and discard any fat.

Reheat broth. If necessary, add more garlic, seasoned salt, pepper, cinnamon, cumin and/or curry paste to taste. Return meat to broth; place over medium heat to rewarm or to hold until serving.