Recipe byThe ZestyPlate Kitchen
Fragrant basmati layered with spiced, yogurt-marinated lamb, fried onions and saffron, then steamed until perfumed. A celebratory Indian feast.
Lamb biryani is a dish for occasions: fragrant basmati layered with spiced, tender lamb, deeply fried onions, saffron and fresh herbs, then steamed so every grain takes on the perfume. It rewards patience rather than cleverness, and the payoff is one of those one-pot meals that turns a table quiet. Build it in layers and give it the time it asks for.
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Prep 40 min
Cook 90 min
Total 130 min
Hard
Scale:
- 12 Cashew Nuts
- ½ tbsp Khus Khus
- 3 sliced thinly Onions
- 2 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
- 4 whole Garlic
- Leaves Mint
- Leaves Cilantro
- ½ tsp dissolved in ½ cup warm milk Saffron
- 2 tbsp Ghee
- 2 Cups Basmati Rice
- ½ cup Full Fat Yogurt
- 1 tbsp Cumin Seeds
- ½ Bay Leaf
- 1 thin piece Cinnamon
- 3 Cloves
- 2 Cardamom
- 1 lb Lamb
- 1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
- 1 tbsp Biryani Masala
Tags:
Curry Meat
Preparation
- Grind the cashews, poppy seeds and cumin seeds to a smooth paste with as little water as possible, then set aside.
- Deep-fry the sliced onions in hot oil, without crowding the pan, until light brown, then drain on paper towel; they crisp as they cool. Fry the cashews until golden too, and set aside.
- Wash the rice and soak it in water for twenty minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat oil in a big wide pan over medium heat, add the sliced onions, then the ground paste, the green chillies, ginger-garlic paste and garlic, and fry for a minute. Add the tomatoes and saute well until cooked but not mushy.
- Stir in the red chilli powder, biryani masala, mint and coriander and saute well. Add the yogurt and mix it in, taking the pan off the heat as you do so to stop it curdling.
- Return to the heat, add the washed lamb, salt and ½ cup water, and mix well. Cook, covered, over medium-low heat for 1 hour, or pressure cook for 6 whistles, finishing uncovered if any water is left.
- In another big pan, boil three times the rice volume of water. When it is at a hard boil, add the rice, salt and cumin, stir, and cook for exactly 7 minutes or until 80 per cent done, then drain.
- To layer, pat the lamb level, then spread the drained hot rice over it. Scatter on the fried onions, ghee, mint, coriander, and the saffron dissolved in milk.
- Cover and bake in a 350°F oven for 15 minutes, until cooked but not mushy, or cook on the stove over medium heat for 12 minutes then the lowest heat for 5 minutes. Mix and serve hot. If it tastes too spicy at the end, a squeeze of lemon tames the heat and lifts the flavours.
Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen
- Cook the rice only to about 80 per cent; it finishes during the final steam and that keeps the grains separate.
- Fry the onions slowly to a deep gold. That crisp birista is central to the flavour, so do not hurry it.
- Take the pan off the heat as you stir in the yogurt to stop it splitting.
- Seal the pot well for the dum stage so the steam and aromas work right through the rice.
Frequently Asked Questions
It carries on cooking during the layered steam at the end, so taking it to 80 per cent first keeps the grains separate and stops it going mushy.
Yes, pressure cooking the lamb tenderises it faster. Layer it with the rice and finish on dum, a low steam, as usual.
A spice blend made for biryani, leaning on warm spices like cardamom, cinnamon and cloves. Buy it ready-made or mix your own.
Use a heavy pot, keep the final heat very low, and seal the lid. Sitting a flat griddle, a tava, under the pot helps spread the heat.
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