Biryani

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Serves 2

Over night marinade either 2 duck breasts / 2 cod loin / 6 lamb culets / 2 seabass fillets / in a mixture of 4 tbsp full fat yoghurt, the zest of one lime, 2 tsp coriander, 1 tsp each dried garam masala, cumin and ginger, pinch salt and paprika and one grated garlic clove. Rub the marinade well into your chosen protein. I used duck breasts for this recipe but shall give alternative cooking methods depending on the cuts of meat / fish you are using. Per person, just cover 4 tbsp rice (I used wild rice as I like the texture and the grains plump up nicely overnight) with water in a bowl and leave over night in the fridge.

Next day prepare a paste by blitzing together 1 bunch fresh coriander including stalks, 1 diced shallot, a thumb size piece of fresh ginger and one garlic clove, 1 diced red chilli (remove the seeds if you prefer a milder version).

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a deep fry pan on medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the paste and fry slowly on low heat for 10 mins. Add 2tsp dried turmeric and 1 tsp dried garam masala and 2 bay leaves. Drain and rinse the rice and add to the pan with enough stock just to cover the rice,. Bring to boil then add a lid reducing the heat to simmer for 20 mins until all the stock is absorbed. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Add some toasted cashew nuts (pre dry fried for 10 seconds in a hot pan) and 2tbsp frozen peas to the cooked rice and cook 3 mins more. Turn off the heat.

For the duck breasts:

Bake in a preheated 170 fan / 190 C oven for 15 minutes over a draining trivet so any excess fat is drained off. Increase the oven heat to 190 fan / 210 C and cook for 10 minutes to crisp. For the last 5 minutes of cooking, remove the spine from 4 cavelo nero leaves, rinse, roll up and pop into the baking dish with the duck breasts so they bake in the duck fat juices.

Remove the breasts from the oven and leave wrapped in cooking foil for 5 minutes before serving with some of the rice topping the cavelo nero leaves and to the side of the duck breasts.

For the cod, lamb or seabass grill for 5 minutes each side under a hot grill timed so that cooking will match the completion of the cooked rice.

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