Easy Lamb Akni
I’ve had loads of request for an Easy Lamb Akni recipe so here it is.
Easy Lamb Akni
Another easy recipe that anybody can cook. Don’t we love one-pot dishes.
I am certainly a rice lover and if I could just add curry and rice and cook it together everyday that would be a dream.
Akni is a short-cut version of a biryani. And it’s meant to be a little spicier than a biryani.
We make everything we can as spicy as we can, here in SA. However, I don’t think people from other parts of the world makes dishes like we do.
I have eaten biryani at Indian restaurants and in India and they are not as spicy. Yes they use a lot of whole spice to flavour the biryani but no masalas and tons of spices like we use here.
And yes, I also get that Akni is also called Biryani. In most homes mums cooked biryani in one pot on the stovetop.
Times have changed and we have evolved and therefore cooking styles also change.
This is a very simple recipe. Yes, there are loads of different spices but this dish is not a complicated one to cook.
Important Tips
I have used Basmati rice to cook this dish. I love Sela rice and that’s what I use in most of my cooking.
Sela Basmati rice is a long grain rice. The grains remain fluffy and doesn’t become mushy and sticky when cooked.
If you use regular parboiled rice, like Tastic then you will need to pay attention to the amount of liquid you add to the dish as the rice cooks quicker and may become mushy.
I suggest you add half the quantity of water recommended and add more as required.
Also cook your lamb on the stovetop for a longer time, then add your rice and pop it into the oven.
If you are cooking the dish on the stovetop also use half the amount of water at first, cook on a low heat and add more water if required.
We also live at high altitude and some things take a long time to cook and we therefore need more liquid.
If you are living on the coast your dishes will cook faster and therefore you will need less liquid.
Unfortunately when it comes to cooking we need to use our discretion. Everything may not work exactly as per the recipe due to certain factors.
I therefore suggest you use your taste buds and the cooking skills you have to make the perfect dish.
If you are a novice in the kitchen it will take a little bit of practice but you will eventually get there. We have all started somewhere.
Masala
Whenever I mention the word masala it causes great confusion.
Let me clear it up, masala is a blend of spices that we use here in SA. Most spice shops stock a variety of masalas.
The base of a masala consists of chilli powder. If you do not have masala don’t despair you can omit it and add a little more chilli powder if you prefer.
Garam Masala is not the same as the South African Masala. Garam Masala is supposed to be used more like a garnish.
It is also a blend of spices but there is no chilli powder in the mix. Everyone has their own recipe for garam masala so no two garam masala may be the same.
More amazing recipes to try:
Easy Lamb Akni
Ingredients
- 2 cups basmati rice
- 1&1/2 kg lamb
- 6 medium potatoes cut in halves
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 large onion sliced
- 2 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- 2 sprig curry leaf
- 5 sprig thyme
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 roma tomatoes skin removed and blended
- 125 grams butter cut into little cubes
- 4-5 cups hot water
- 1/4 cup mint
- 1/4 cup coriander
Whole Spices
- 2 cinnamon stick
- 5 green cardamom pods
- 2 bay leaf
- 3 black cardamom
- 1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 1/2 teaspoon cloves
- 2 star anise
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
Ground Spices
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon ground fennel
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 tablespoon kashmiri chilli powder
- 1&1/2 tablespoon masala
Instructions
- Soak the rice for 30 minutes, rinse well and set aside. Peel the potatoes and cut in halves, place it in some water to prevent discolouration.
- Heat the oil in a large pot. Add the whole spices and once the seeds starts to splutter add the onion.
- Allow the onion to brown and add the curry leaf and thyme.
- Add the lamb and allow it to brown for a couple of minutes. Add the ginger garlic paste and cook for a couple of minutes.
- Add the ground spices. Cook for 2 minutes and add the tomato paste and blended tomatoes. Do not cover the pot. Cook for another 10 minutes. Cover the pot and cook for another 1/2 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 160 degrees celsius.
- After 30 minutes add the potatoes and rice. Add mint and coriander. Add the hot water, start with 3 cups and add more later in the cooking process, if required. Add the blobs of butter on top
- Cook in the oven for 1 hour, remove the pot from the oven and check if the rice and lamb is tender. If not add more water and cook for a further 30 minutes. Check again and cook for a further 30 minutes, if required.
- Garnish with coriander and serve with raita
Absolutely delicious and packed with flavours and aromas, my favourite quick n easy briyani