Lamb Biryani

Biryani is a mixed rice dish that is flavoured with spices and meat! Along with meat we loved some golden fried potatoes. Sometimes boiled eggs are also added however we skip the eggs while making chicken or Lamb Biryani. 

Biryani is very popular in the Indian subcontinent and there are many ways of making biryani and each method is unique. As a result, in our recipe, we use parboiled basmati rice that is flavored with whole spices. We cook the marinated meat separately in a pressure cooker that is loaded with spice and flavour. The biryani gravy is then made even more flavourful by making a home made biryani spice mix that is added to caramelized onions and mushy tomatoes.

Lastly, the biryani is steamed for about 15 minutes that brings out the aromas together! The rice is super flavorful, fluffy and this is irresistible!

Ingredients:

For Marinating the meat: 

• 500 grams lamb meat (With or without bone) 
• ½ cup yogurt 
• kashmiri chilli powder – 1 tbsp
• turmeric powder  – 1 tsp
• coriander powder – 1 tsp
• cumin powder – 1 tsp
• 1 tsp garam masala 
• Zest of 1 lime
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• salt 1 tsp
• pepper 1 tsp
• ginger paste 1 tsp
• 1 tsp garlic paste
• ¼ cup fresh coriander leaves, chopped
• ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, chopped

For boiling rice:

• 2 cups basmati rice, washed and soaked
• 3-4 litres water 
• 1 tsp ghee/oil 
• 2 bay leaves 
• 4-5 cloves
• 4-5 whole peppercorns
• 2-3 cardamom pods 
• 1-2 sticks of cinnamon 
• 1 tsp salt

For meat in pressure cooker: 

• 1 tsp oil/ ghee 
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2-4 cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2-3 bay leaves
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 cup water

For Biryani Gravy:

• 3-4 potatoes, in quarters
• 3-4 onions
• 1 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder
• turmeric powder – 1 tsp
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 3-4 tomatoes, diced
• ¼ cup yogurt
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• ¼ cup cilantro 
• ¼ cup mint leaves

Garnish: 

• 1 tbsp fried onion
• chopped coriander leaves – 1/8 cup
• ⅛ cup chopped mint leaves
• ⅛ cup roasted cashew nuts
• 8-10 saffron strands 
• 2 tbsp milk
• Biryani powder – Dry roast a tsp of cumin seeds, 3-4 cloves, 12-15 cardamom pods, 1-2 sticks of cinnamon for about 2-3 minutes and blend to a fine powder

Procedure

• Firstly, start by washing 2 cups of basmati rice in water and let the starch drain off. Then soak the basmati rice in about 4 cups of cold water and set aside
• Then, wash the lamb or goat meat well after it has been thawed at room temperature
• Cut the meat to about bite size pieces for the boneless meat. In addition also, use the bone meat for this recipe as the flavors will be incredible 
• After that, start by marinating the meat with all the spices mentioned in the marinating section that contains yogurt, kashmiri red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala, lime zest, lime juice, salt, pepper, ginger paste, garlic paste, chopped coriander leaves, chopped mint leaves. 
• Above all, Mix the marinade well into the meat and let the meat marinate for about an hour, you can also leave the meat to marinate for about 3-4 hours which is ideal and would make the biryani even more flavorful 
• As the next steps, start by boiling water about 3-4 litres in a large saucepan
• Firstly, add the whole spices like bay leaves, cloves, peppercorns, cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks and salt to flavour the water. Secondly, add a teaspoon of ghee or oil at this stage which will allow the rice to not stick to each other 
• Let the water boil on high heat for about 5-7 minutes 
• Then, drain the water from the rice that has been soaking, and add this rice to the boiling water
• Cook the rice until 80% done and do not overcook the rice. This should take about 5-7 minutes
• Immediately turn off the flame, and drain the water to strain off the rice. Above all you need to remove the whole spices at this stage. 
• Finally, it’s time to cook meat, I have used a pressure cooker as the meat cooks instantaneously! 
• Start by adding about a teaspoon of oil and roughly saute sliced onions until translucent. Then, add the spices that are cumin, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon stick & bay leaves (Use about 1 onion at this stage). Add the meat with the marinate and 1 cup of water. Pressure cook for about 10 minutes or until 5 whistles
• Likewise, turn off the flame, and let the meat cook in the pressure. However, let the pressure naturally release off at this stage, that would take about 10-15 minutes 
• In the meantime, in a large pan fry about 3-4 potatoes (You can peel them and chop them in quarters and fry until golden brown). Once golden brown, leave aside on a plate and let this rest
• In the same pan, fry about 3-4 onions that are thinly sliced until brown 
• Add the meat from the pressure cooker along with all the juices. 
• Subsequently, add the fried potatoes as well
• Then add about a teaspoon of kashmiri chilli powder, turmeric powder & cumin powder. Let these spices cook for about 2-3 minutes with the meat, onions, potatoes and the gravy sauce 
• Meanwhile, then add the diced tomatoes and cook until mushy, this should take about 5 minutes 
• Finally add the biryani powder which you will have to dry roast spices in a dry pan on low heat. Dry roast a tsp of cumin seeds, 3-4 cloves, 12-15 cardamom pods, 1-2 sticks of cinnamon for about 2-3 minutes on low heat. Subsequently, once cooled, blend to a fine powder
• In conclusion, add this biryani powder to the gravy and mix well for about 5 minutes 

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