Keema Biryani (Traditional Pakistani Meat and Rice Dish)
Show Date: 12/17/99 Watch Community Cooking Daily at 11:00 A.M. and 6:00 P.M. only on CitiCABLE 3

Meat Mixture

Ingredients:
1¼ lb. sirloin ground beef
12 oz. plain yogurt
1 TBSP pureed garlic and ginger
3 TBSP tomato paste
1 tsp. ground red chili and ground gerem
1½ tsp. mesele (Indian spice)
pinch turmeric (Indian spice)
generous pinch Saffron (soaked in hot water)
juice from ½ a lemon
2 fresh serrano chilis-chopped
1 onion-chopped
¼ cup Ghee (clarified butter-can be substituted with cooking oil)

In a six quart pot with lid, break up ground beef, sautee til slightly brown. Add Ghee/oil, lower heat. Add spices (except Saffron) Add yogurt, turn off heat. Add salt to taste. Add tomato paste, blend well using medium heat. Simmer for 10 minutes, then remove from heat.

Rice(use 4 qt. pot)

Ingredients:

2½ cup washed, drained basmati rice
3½ cup water
1 tsp salt
2 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
3 peppercorns
pinch toasted cumin
yellow food color
Add spices to water before boiling. Cook til boiling. Simmer. Add a few drops of food dye for color. Layer rice with meat, cover with lid. Bake in oven for 10 minutes at 300 degrees.

Optional Garnish:
boil 2 potatoes. Cut into bite-sized wedges. Fry them in oil to make crispy.
boil 3 eggs. Cut into wedges.

Yogurt Sauce (to be served on the side)

Ingredients:

12 oz. yogurt
½ cup water
1 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
cilantro-chopped
onion (optional)
whole cucumber-grated

Stir yogurt, add water, stir constantly, add sugar, cilantro, cucumber, toasted cumin seed (crushed). Add salt to taste