Lamb Biryani

Name: Lamb Biryani
Prep time: 29 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 1 h 59 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: India
Ingredients: 12 cashew nuts; 1 ½ tsp khus khus; 1 ½ tsp cumin seeds; 3 onions; 2 tsp ginger garlic paste; 4 garlic; Leaves mint; Leaves cilantro; ½ tsp saffron; 2 tbsp ghee; 2 cups basmati rice; ½ cup full fat yogurt; 1 tbsp cumin seeds; ½ bay leaf; 1 cinnamon; 3 cloves; 2 cardamoms; 1 lb lamb; 1 tsp red chile powder; 1 tbsp biryani masala

An India dinner. Ready in about 1 hour 59 minutes. Difficulty: medium.

29 minPrep (about)
1 hr 30 minCook (about)
1 hr 59 minTotal time
4Servings
MediumDifficulty

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Ingredients

How many people?

− 4 people +

Recipe makes 4

Main ingredient

1 lb lamb Shopping tip: Lamb shoulder, cut in cubes.

Fresh & other

12 cashew nuts
1 ½ tsp khus khus
3 onions
2 tsp ginger garlic paste
4 garlic
Leaves mint Shopping tip: Fresh mint leaves.
Leaves cilantro Shopping tip: Fresh cilantro (UK: coriander). Use the leaves and soft stems.
2 tbsp ghee
2 cups basmati rice
½ cup full fat yogurt
3 cloves
1 tbsp biryani masala

Spices & seasonings (7): cumin seeds, saffron, cumin seeds, bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamoms and 1 more

1 ½ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp saffron
1 tbsp cumin seeds
½ bay leaf
1 cinnamon
2 cardamoms
1 tsp red chile powder

How to make it

Steps in our own plain words.

Grind the cumin seeds, poppy seeds and cashew in smooth paste, using as water as possible.
Set aside.
Deep fry the sliced onions when it's hot.
Don’t overcrowd the oil.
Wait until the onions turn light brown.
Remove from oil.
Drain on paper towel.
Your fried onion will crisp as it drains.
Also fry the cashewnuts till golden.
Set aside.
Wash your rice and soak in water for twenty min.
While that cooks, take a big wide pan.
Add oil in medium heat.
Add the sliced onions.
Add the blended paste, to green chillies, ginger garlic paste and it add the garlic.
Fry for a minute.
Add the tomatoes.
Cook them well till they're cooked and not mushy.
To it add your red chilli powder, biryani, mint, coriander leaves.
Cook them well.
Add the yogurt.
Mix well.
I always move the pan away from heat when adding yogurt prevents it from curdling.
After returning the pan back to the stove.
Add your washed lamb and salt and ½ cup water.
Mix well.
Cook for 1 hour.
Heat it covered.
Do it in medium low heat put it in pressure cooker for 6 whistles.
If the water isn't drained, heat it by keeping it open.
Take another big pan.
Add thrice your cup of rice you use.
Boil it.
Wait until it is boiling high.
Add the rice, salt and jeera.
Mix well.
After 7 min exact or when your rice is 80% done, switch off.
Drain the rice.
The layering starts.
To the lamb, pat and level it.
Add your drained hot rice on top of it.
Top with saffron dissolved, coriander leaves, mint, ghee and fried onions in milk.
Cover the dish.
Cook in the oven in a 350f oven for 15 min or till the cooked but not mushy.
Or heat in the stove medium heat for 12 min and lowest heat for 5 minutes.
And switch off.
Mix.
Serve hot, notes, 1.
If you are cooking.
Do it in oven, do make sure to heat in a big oven safe pan.
Cover it tight.
Keep in oven for the final step.
Skip biryani masala if don’t have.
Add garam masala (1 tsp plus red chilli powder – 3 instead of 1 tsp), 3.
If it's spicy in end, squeeze some lemon, it will turn the heat down and enhance the flavors also.