Meat palau

In Fiji, palau is more common than biryani. You can use any meat, but I prefer goat or chicken. Palau can also be made with vegetables. Here's my vegetable palau recipe. There are two parts to this recipe: first, you make a curry; you then cook the meat curry with rice and some additional spices. I also remember my mother adding a squeeze of lemon juice and some cloves tied up in a small piece of muslin cloth to the rice.

Ingredients

• • 6 cloves garlic

  • 15g fresh ginger (about a tbsp.)

  • Fresh chilli to taste (optional)

  • 1 largish onion, sliced

  • 1kg meat (lamb or goat), cubed or chicken pieces (thighs - on the bone work well)

  • 1 tbsp. oil

  • 1/2 tsp mustard seeds

  • Cinnamon stick, 4 to 5 cm piece

  • 5 whole cloves

  • 5 cardamom pods

  • 1 stalk curry leaves, leaves picked

  • Salt to taste

  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder

  • 1-2 tbsp. curry powder

  • 1-2 tbsp. ghee

  • 2 cups long grain rice

  • 1 tsp garam masala

Method

To make the curry

• 1. Grind the garlic, ginger and chilli to a paste.

  2. Heat oil. Add mustard seeds. As soon as they start to pop, add about a third of the sliced onion, half the curry leaves, 3 cloves and 3 cardamom pods. Stir fry over low heat until the onion just starts to soften.

  3. Stir in the garlic-ginger-chilli paste, salt, turmeric, and curry powder. Add about a tablespoon of water and cook the spice mixture, stirring frequently, until the water has evaporated and the oil starts to separate from the spice mix.

  4. Add the meat and half of the remaining onion, increase the heat and cook, stirring frequently, until the meat is sealed and well-coated with the spice mixture and any liquid released from the meat has evaporated. Add about a third cup of water*, cover, bring to the boil and simmer until the meat is almost cooked. Remove from heat.

Now for the rice

• 1. Wash the rice until the water runs clear (about three rinses). Drain.

  2. Heat 1 tbsp ghee and add the remaining onion, curry leaves, cloves and cardamom pods. Fry over medium heat until the onion begins to soften.

  3. Add the rice, fry for a few minutes and then add the meat and stir to combine.

  4. Now add 3 cups of water. Stir well, scraping any rice and spices from the sides of the pan. Cover, bring to boil, turn heat to very low and cook until the rice is almost done. Add the garam masala, stir well and continue cooking over low heat until all liquid has evaporated and the rice is cooked.

  5. Stir through a tbsp. of ghee and remove from heat - not necessary, but it does make a difference to the taste.

Notes

* You may not have to add any water if you are using a tender cut of meat. Just go to the next stage. This dish is also suitable for secondary cuts of meat - just make sure the meat is cooked till tender before it is added to the rice.

The second part of the recipe can be made in a rice cooker. Once you've added the meat to the rice, you can also finish cooking the palau in the oven.

Serving suggestions

Serve with chutney, onion salad, yoghurt and papadams/sago chips.

Onion salad: Finely slice an onion. Add a squeeze of lemon or lime juice, a generous pinch of salt and sugar. Mix well, squeeezing the onions with your fingers. Taste and adjust seasoning. Chill before serving.