Pilau

Instructions

1. 1 Heat the vegetable oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the sliced onions and cook, stirring frequently, for fifteen to twenty minutes until they turn a deep mahogany brown. This caramelisation is the foundation of pilau's distinctive colour and flavour.
2. 2 Add the beef cubes to the caramelised onions and brown them on all sides for about five minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and grated ginger, cooking for another minute until fragrant and aromatic.
3. 3 Add the pilau masala, cardamom pods, cloves, and cinnamon stick, stirring the spices into the meat and onions for one minute to bloom them in the hot oil and release their essential oils into the dish.
4. 4 Pour in enough water or broth to cover the meat by three centimetres. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for forty-five minutes to one hour until the beef is completely tender.
5. 5 If using potatoes, add the quartered pieces to the pot and cook for ten minutes. Then drain the soaked rice and add it to the pot along with enough additional broth to sit about two centimetres above the rice level.
6. 6 Bring the liquid back to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Cover the pot tightly with aluminium foil and then the lid, creating a seal that traps all the steam inside for perfect rice.
7. 7 Cook undisturbed for twenty minutes until the rice is fluffy and each grain is separate. The bottom layer should form a crispy golden crust called the haki, which is a prized part of the dish.
8. 8 Remove from heat and let the pilau rest, covered, for five minutes. Fluff gently with a fork, being careful not to break the rice grains. Serve on a platter with the crispy bottom crust alongside kachumbari salad.