Kenyan Beef Pilau

Method

1. Cut the beef into 2–3 cm cubes and put it in a 20 cm pot with the water and part of the salt. Bring to the boil over high heat, skim off the grey foam, then turn down to medium-low heat and simmer with the lid ajar for 40 min, until a fork slides in easily. Keep the broth: it cooks the rice.

   Add in this stepStewing beef (chuck or shin), 2–3 cm cubes 240 gWater for simmering the beef 600 mlSalt 0.4 tsp

   high heat→medium-low heat

2. While the beef simmers, rinse the rice in a bowl, changing the water 3–4 times until it runs almost clear. Cover with fresh water, soak for 20 min, then drain in a sieve. Soaked basmati cooks into long grains that don't break.

   Add in this stepBasmati rice 180 g

3. Put the cumin, cardamom, cloves and peppercorns in a dry frying pan over medium-low heat and toast for 1 min 30 sec, shaking the pan, until the cumin darkens a shade and smells nutty. Tip onto a plate to cool, then grind finely with a mortar or spice grinder. This is your homemade pilau masala.

   Add in this stepCumin seeds 1½ tspGreen cardamom pods 4Whole cloves 3Black peppercorns ¾ tsp

   medium-low heat

4. Heat the oil in a heavy 20 cm pot, add the onion and cinnamon stick and cook over medium heat for 12 min, stirring often. Take the onions past golden to a deep brown, like milk chocolate; that colour is what makes pilau brown. If the edges start to scorch, lower the heat a little and add a spoonful of water to loosen the bits.

   Add in this stepVegetable oil 3 tbspOnion, thinly sliced 150 gCinnamon stick (5 cm pieces) 1

   medium heat

5. Add the grated or finely chopped garlic and ginger and stir for 30 seconds, then add the ground masala and stir for 10 seconds. Add the drained beef, the tomato and the potato and fry over medium heat for 4 min, until the tomato has broken down and everything is coated in spice.

   Add in this stepGarlic cloves 3Fresh ginger 10 gTomato, finely chopped 100 gPotato, 3 cm chunks 150 g

   medium heat

6. Add the drained rice and stir gently for 1–2 minutes to coat the grains in oil without breaking them. Strain the beef broth, measure out the amount in the list (top it up with hot water if short) and pour it in with the rest of the salt. Taste: the liquid should be slightly over-salty, which seasons the rice just right. Bring to the boil over high heat, then immediately turn down to low heat, cover tightly and cook for 17 min. Don't lift the lid or stir.

   Add in this stepBeef cooking broth (topped up with water if short) 290 mlSalt 1⅛ tsp

   high heat→low heat

7. Turn off the heat and leave the pot covered for 10 min to steam. Meanwhile make the kachumbari: dice the tomatoes into 1 cm pieces, slice the red onion paper-thin and soak it in cold water for 5 minutes, then drain; chop the coriander and slice the deseeded chilli. Toss everything with the lime juice and salt. Fluff the rice gently with a fork from the bottom up and serve with the kachumbari.

   Add in this stepTomatoes (for kachumbari) 1Red onion (for kachumbari) ½Fresh coriander 8 gGreen chilli ½Lime ½Salt (for kachumbari) 1 pinch