Lamb Biryani
The best lamb biryani you will ever eat. So aromatic, rich and full-flavored
Servings: 8
Ingredients
Marinade
- 2 kg lamb pieces on the bone
- 1 cup yogurt
- 2 tbsp ginger/garlic paste
- 2 tbsp masala
- 1 tbsp kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp ground fennel/soomph
- 1/2 tsp ground elachie
- 1/2 cup chopped mint
- 1/2 cup chopped coriander
- 1 lemon use the juice
- 4 sprigs thyme
- 2 red chillies slit in half
- 2 green chillie slit in half
- 1 large onion fried until crisp
- 2 roma tomatoes skin removed and pureed
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- salt
Rice
- 2&1/2 cups basmati rice
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 8 elachie/cardamom pods
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1/2 teaspoon cloves
- 3 bay leaf
- 2 star anise
- 2 black cardamom
- 2 lemon slices
- salt
Other Ingredients
- 5 potatoes peeled and cut into wedges or cubes
- 2 large onion fried until crisp
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2&1/2 cups hot water
- extra coriander for garnishing
Cooking the lamb
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 onion thinly sliced
- 2 bay leaf
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 black cardamom
- 1 tablespoon whole spice grab a tablespoon from the packet of whole biryani mix (osmans or any other brand)
- 4 sprigs thyme
Dum
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 tablespoon rose water
- pinch of saffron
- 1 teaspoon egg yellow food colouring
Instructions
- Slice the 2 onion (listed under "other ingredients") into thin slices. Add half a cup of oil to a pan and fry the onion until golden and crisp. Drain on a paper towel. You can fry them in two batches if you wish. You can also fry your potatoes (until slightly brown and crisp) in the same oil and set aside.
- For the "dum", heat the milk until warm. Add the saffron, rose water and food colouring and set aside.
- Fry one onion until golden and crisp. Place all the ingredients (listed under "marinade") in a bowl, together with the fried onion and mix well. Refrigerate overnight or at least an hour.
- When ready to cook the Biryani rinse the rice well, a few times, until the water runs clear. Place all the ingredients listed under "rice" in a pot together with some water, enough for the rice to be fully immersed in the water, and cook until the rice is about 60% cooked. Drain the rice, (no need to remove the lemon and whole spice) cover and set aside.
- In a large pot heat the butter and vegetable oil, on medium heat. Add the whole spice, cinnamon, cardamom and bay leaf and fry for a few seconds until fragrant. Add the onion and thyme and fry until the onion is golden brown. Add the marinated lamb and cooking for an hour on a low heat.
- Remove half of the lamb from the pot an set aside. Add half of the rice on top and half the potatoes. Add the other half of the lamb and then add the remaining potatoes.Add more fresh coriander. Sprinkle the rice on top. Drizzle the milk mixture over the rice. Sprinkle the 2 fried onion on top. Cube the butter and place over the rice. Drizzle 1&1/2 cups water over the biryani, seal the pot with foil. Place the lid on top and cook in the oven for 2 hours. After an hour check the moisture content and add the remaining 1 cup of water, if needed.
- Garnish the cooked biryani with coriander and serve hot with some raita
Notes
- Please note that I've used Maharani Rice (long grain basmati rice) and this never gets mushy. If you are using any rice I suggest you cook the lamb for longer and reduce the cooking time in the oven. This will prevent your rice from cooking too soft.
- The amount of water can be adjusted according to your discretion. Altitude will play a role in the cooking time
- If you do not have access to masala you can increase the amount of kashmiri chilli powder. Masala is different to garam masala. We use masala here in SA, it is a blend of spices that includes chilli powder.
- Lamb on the bone is preferred as it does add more flavor but you can use boneless lamb if you wish
- If you don't have the time to marinate overnight an hour is fine