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The cuisine of Hyderabad, the capital city of Andhra Pradesh, ranges from the Hyderabadi style, with its strong Islamic influence, to a pure Andhra hot and spicy style. The cooking of Hyderabad is rich and aromatic and uses many exotic spices, as well as ghee, nuts, dried fruit and lamb. Hyderabad is also famous for its biryanis – rice dishes flavoured with meat or vegetables.

Ingredients:

500g (1lb 2 oz) stewing lamb cut into bite-size chunks

2 tsp adrak lahsun ka masala or 4 cloves garlic and 1 tsp peeled and finely grated root ginger

2.5cm (1 inch) cinnamon stick

2 cloves

4 green cardamoms, seeds only

1/2-1 tsp medium-hot chilli powder

1 tbsp natural unsweetened yogurt

1 tbsp lemon juice

6 tbsp groundnut oil

½ tsp salt

1 medium Spanish onion, finely sliced

200g (7 oz) white basmati rice, or any other long-grain rice

4 tbsp full-fat or semi-skimmed milk

a few saffron strands

15g (½ oz) butter or ghee

Preparation:

Mix the lamb with the ginger, garlic, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom seeds, chilli, yogurt, lemon juice, 1 tbsp of the oil and the salt. Cover and refrigerate for 30-45 minutes.

Heat 3tbsp of the oil in a small frying pan, and fry the onion for 5 minutes or until crisp and golden brown. Set aside. Rinse the rice thoroughly in cold running water and place in a pan with 400ml (14 fl oz) boiling water. Cover and boil for 8 minutes or until the rice is half cooked. The grains should be soft on the outside but still hard in the centre. Gently warm the milk and soak the saffron strands for a few minutes.

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Heat the remaining oil in a heavy-based pan and fry the marinated meat for 15 minutes until well browned. Stir in the fried onion. Grease the base of a large heavy-based casserole with the butter or ghee. Add the meat mixture followed by the parboiled rice. Pack the rice firmly into the casserole.