Lamb, pomegranate & pistachio pilaf

This Middle Eastern delight is a great one-pot recipe for an exotic dinner.

Recipe «Lamb, pomegranate & pistachio pilaf» presented in category Recipes / Meat, to prepare this dish you will need no more 1:10 minutes. To make this dish at home by prescription from the author Gomer would need: 200g Coles Brand Greek style yoghurt, plus extra to serve, 2 tbsp mild curry paste, 2 garlic cloves, crushed, 1kg diced lamb, 1 pomegranate , 2 tbsp vegetable oil, 2 onions halved, sliced, 1 tsp ground cumin , 1 bunch English spinach, stalks trimmed, chopped, blanched, 1 cardamom pod, squashed, 1 tbsp Coles Brand olive oil, 1 onion, chopped, 2 garlic cloves, crushed, 1 star anise, 2 cups basmati rice, 2 cups chicken stock.

Ingredients:

• 200g Coles Brand Greek style yoghurt, plus extra to serve 
• 2 tbsp mild curry paste 
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed 
• 1kg diced lamb 
• 1 pomegranate 
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil 
• 2 onions halved, sliced 
• 1 tsp ground cumin 
• 1 bunch English spinach, stalks trimmed, chopped, blanched 
• 1 cardamom pod, squashed 
• 1 tbsp Coles Brand olive oil 
• 1 onion, chopped 
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed 
• 1 star anise 
• 2 cups basmati rice 
• 2 cups chicken stock 
• 1/3 cup Coles Brand roasted & salted pistachios, chopped 

Instructions

1. Place 200g yoghurt, curry paste and garlic in a large glass bowl. Mix to combine. Add lamb cubes and stir to coat with yoghurt mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hr, to marinate.
2. Cut pomegranate in half and squeeze out juice into a sieve over a large bowl (see tips). Discard white pith from arils.
3. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion for 10 mins, until very soft and caramelised. Add cumin and cook for 30 secs, until fragrant. Using a slotted spoon, remove onion from pan. Increase heat to high. Add lamb mixture and cook, stirring, for 2-3 mins, until browned. Add pomegranate juice and enough water to cover lamb. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 40 mins, until lamb is tender.
4. Meanwhile, make pilaf. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan on medium heat. Cook onion for 5 mins, until softened. Add garlic, cardamom and star anise. Cook for 30 secs, until fragrant. Add rice and stir to coat. Add hot stock. Bringto boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 mins, until all the liquid has absorbed. Stir through pistachios and pomegranate arils.
5. Preheat oven to 200C or 180C fan-forced. Transfer lamb mixture to an 8-cup capacity ovenproof dish. Top with the caramelised onion, spinach then the pilaf. Bake for 15 mins, until rice forms a golden crust on top. Serve with extra yoghurt.