Biryanis, Beer and Blue Skies...

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Berries & Blue Sky, Rachub

Lockdown was eased a little this afternoon in our little corner of Rachub. Old friends and family gathered for a meal, semi-al-fresco, beim Wintergarten.
A hallelujah moment for at least one of our number who has been locked down for several months, not having even left their house since this all kicked off. A welcome respite for all, considering we have had a long history of breaking bread with them, stretching back nearly forty years.
We had Gazpacho to start, followed by Tarka Dall, Carrot salad, Naans and Lamb Biryani - the first Biryani I've ever attempted. Considering I've been cooking Indian food for all of those forty years, that in itself is pretty strange. The recipe - and I don't often use those for most of my staple go-to's - is from a book I got in some remainder bin last year. Dan Toombs' - wonderful name - "The Curry Guy", seeks to recreate restaurant-style cooking for the home, a laudable goal. We've tried many books and theories and watched many TV shows and even YouTube videos over the years, to varying degrees of success, but there has only ever been a handful of given recipes that have resulted in instant success and this is one of them: Kacchi Lamb Biryani.
I had thought I'd do a one-pot job to make life simple, but no: this is not a simple stew and requires a lot of prep - although the final cooking is indeed very much hands-off. But all the effort you put in is more than amply rewarded by the most glorious plate of rice and lamb you'll taste. I won't put the recipe in here, because you should buy the book and support this champion of good food - ISBN 978-1-78713-560-4

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