Heat the ½ cup of olive oil in a fry pan to medium, add the lamb with fat and fry until a golden brown.

Add 1 cup of water and tsp salt (the oil will splatter when you add the water, so be careful). Cover and simmer until the meat becomes tender

Wash the rice and then soak for 20 minutes. Cook the rice following the package instruction for only half the time, with 2 tsp cumin seeds and 1 tsp salt.

Drain the rice and set aside.

To the meat mixture, add the carrots, raisins, cardamoms, apricots, cinnamon and 1 rsp black pepper. Cook all together for a minute or so.

Now add in the half-boiled rice and ½ tsp saffron essence. Stir all together.

In another pan, cook the 2 tbsp of sugar in a saucepan till it melts and add ½ cup water and mix well. Pour this sugar mixture on top of the rice mixture and simmer for 20 minutes.

Serve hot.