2 and a half cups of white basmati rice

1 kilo of boneless mutton, cut into 1/2 inch cubes OR beef, cut into 1/2 inch cubes. For the best result ensuring tender meat, marinate this meat in 3 tbs of oil, 6 tbs of plain yoghurt, juice of 1/2 a lemon, 1tsp salt, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp coriander powder overnight before cooking the next day. Keep the marinated meat in the fridge overnight to use the next day.

3 white onions, sliced thinly

5 tomatoes, blanched in hot water, skins peeled and finely chopped

1 tsp garlic, finely minced

1 and 1/2 tsp ginger, sliced like a thin matchstick size ( about two thumbs of ginger)

1 and a 1/2 tsp cumin seeds

5 cloves

5 green cardamom seeds

4 sticks cinnamon

1/2 tsp of whole black peppers roughly crushed

1 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp garam masala

2 tbs tomato purée

1/2 tsp dried chilli flakes ( or 1 tsp if you want it spicy!)

1 and 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 punnet of button mushrooms, cut into small quarters

Sunflower oil for frying

1 heaped tbs of butter

2 bunches of coriander, finely chopped

1. First wash your rice several times in old water, rinsing out the white starch. Do this 3 or 4 times. Set aside.

2. In a large, wide casserole dish or wide deep pan, heat about 4 tbs of sunflower oil on a medium heat until hot but not smoking.

3. Add the meat and gently brown all over, but do not cook thorough. You just want to sear the meat.

4. Take out of the pan and set aside in a bowl.

5. In the same pan, add another 3 tbs oil. Heat gently until hot but not smoking. Now add the cumin seeds, the cinnamon sticks, the cardamom seeds, the chilli flakes and the black pepper. Be careful not to burn the spices. Now add all the sliced onions and gently fry until golden brown on a medium heat. Only let them turn a golden brown, not a very dark brown.

6. Now add the tomatoes and the tomato purée, stirring in well. Add the ginger and the garlic. Stir again well. Now add the remaining spices. Add the cumin powder, the coriander powder, the turmeric powder, the salt. Stir this all in and add 1 cup of boiling water. Cover and let this mixture boil rapidly for 6-7 minutes. Add another cup of water and again let it boil rapidly for another 6-7 minutes until you see the sauce is starting to turn a deep red and the oil is coming to the surface. Lower the heat now and add the meat, stirring well covering all the pieces of meat in the sauce. Now tip in the rice, once again stirring well. Finally add the mushroom quarters. Now add the garam masala and the butter and stir in well.

7. Now add 3 cups of boiling water, lower the heat to a low setting, cover tightly and let this cook for at least 45 minutes – 60 minutes max. A trick is when you see the water has evaporated enough to show no water at the surface, open the lid and place a CLEAN dishcloth over the surface of the rice and cover with the lid again. This ensures fluffy rice.

8. During this cooking process keep checking on it bit try not to let too much steam escape. You know it’s ready when all the liquid has evaporated and there are little holes in the surface of the rice (they will look like little holes where steam is escaping).

9. Check the rice for seasoning. It might need a bit of salt but you should have enough spice.

10. Finally sprinkle over the coriander. Very gently fold this into the pilau using a very wide spoon or spatula. Do not over it, turning the rice over gently.

11. Serve this steaming hot with a kachumbari salad and some cold plain yogurt on the side.