for braising lamb:
- 2 lamb shank with bones
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1 cup red wine
- 3 tbs soy sauce
- 4 star anise
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 8 whole cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp black pepper
- water
- 2 cups basmati rice
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 3 carrots, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup dark raisins
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 pinch saffron
- pepper and salt
- cooking oil
- in a pot add lamb shanks and all the ingredients for braising, add water to just cover the shanks. bring to boil, then reduce to low heat, braising the meat for at least 2 hours or till the meat falling loose from bones
- remove the shanks from the pot, pick the meat off the bones and set aside.
- strain and save 2 1/2 cups of the braising broth
- add 1 tbs oil to a saute pan, add onion and cumin, saute over medium heat till caramelized.about 15 minutes. then puree the cooked onion.
- add 1 tsp oil to a saute pan, add carrots and raisins, saute over medium heat till soft. about 2 minutes
- add rice and 3 cups of water to a pot, bring it to boil over high heat. boil for 2 minutes, remove from heat and drain the water.
- in a wide casserole, mix rice, braising broth and onion puree, add crushed saffron, carrots, raisins, and lamb meat.
- heat the oven to 300 degree, bake the rice in the covered casserole for 45 minutes.
- serve the rice with lamb meat buried underneath
