Rinse and soak the rice. Make sure the water runs clear (this usually takes 4-5 rinses). After washing, let the rice soak for at least 2 hours.
Heat 1⁄4 cup of vegetable oil in a deep pan, then add onions and garlic. Cook until slightly browned, and add cumin.
Add the lamb and about 1 tablespoon of salt, breaking up to combine with the onions. Pour in 3 cups of stock. Cook until the lamb is cooked through and tender. Strain the meat from the broth and reserve both. Set aside.
While the meat is cooking, prepare the carrots and raisins. First, rinse the raisins (if needed) and soak them in hot water for 5 minutes. Heat some vegetable oil in a pan, then add the julienned carrots and cook until slightly soft.
Remove and set aside on aluminum foil. Drain the raisins and cook them in the same pan for about 30-40 seconds. Add the raisins to the carrots, and wrap them in the foil to keep warm.
To cook the rice: bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drain the soaked rice and add it to the boiling water. Keep an eye on the rice to avoid overcooking. You only want to par-cook the rice, which takes about 5 minutes, depending on how long you soaked it. The rice should be soft enough to break but still hold its shape if you squeeze it between your fingers. Drain the rice, reserving about 1⁄2 cup of the rice water for later.
Make a caramelized sugar solution to add to the rice. In a pan, heat 1⁄4 cup of vegetable oil and add sugar. Let the sugar darken, but not too much. Stir continuously to avoid burning the sugar. Add a tiny bit of water to emulsify and keep the sugar from hardening, then set aside.
Now, assemble the dish: In the pot where you cooked the rice, layer half of the rice at the bottom. Add the lamb on top, followed by the remaining rice. Pour in 1⁄2 cup of reserved lamb broth, the sugar mixture, 1⁄2 cup of reserved rice water, and the char masala.
Poke a few holes in the rice with the handle of a spoon to allow steam to escape. Take the package of carrots and raisins, add the sliced nuts, and place it on top of the rice. Cover the pot lid with aluminum foil or a tea towel, and put the lid on.
Cook on medium-low heat for about 20 minutes, ensuring all the liquid has evaporated and the rice is fluffy. Take of the heat and wait another 15 minutes before serving.
To serve: remove the package with the carrots, raisins and nuts. Mix the rice with the spices but be gentle as to not break the rice grains. Plate the rice, and top with the carrots, raisins, and nuts. Enjoy!
