Lamb Biryani

A mixture of rice, meat/vegetables and spice cooked together. Usually, The dish is prepared in festive time. But now, the life is much easier with all those pre-mix masala available in store. But you can make the dish tastier without any store bought masala! In my opinion, the biryani is the easiest dish for me. I make it very often at home. My kid is addictive to this dish. He is a spice lover!

Reminder: Water ratio for cooking basmati rice is: for 1 cup rice, liquid should be: 1 ½ cup

Ingredients:

Basmati rice: 2 cups
Water + masala from the cooked meat = 3 cups
Mutton /lamb or Goat): 1 pound
Onion: 2 sliced thinly lengthwise
Ripped tomato: 2 diced
Green chilies: 3 sliced lengthwise
Fresh Mint + Coriander leaves: handful chopped
Yogurt: 2 tbsp
Turmeric: 1/4 tsp
Ginger-garlic paste: 2 tspChili Powder:2 tsp
Saffron: a pinch mixed with teaspoon of warm milk
Ghee: 3 tbsp

Masala 1:
Clove: 2
Cinnamon: ½ stick
Green Cardamom: 2
Bay leaves: 2
Star anise: (optional) 1
Black Cardamom: (optional): 1
Black Pepper: 1 tsp

Masala 2: to grind coarsely

Cinnamon: ½ stick
Cloves: 2
Fennel seeds: 1 tsp

To Garnish (optional)
Onion: 2 onions sliced lengthwise caramelized in Ghee
Cashew: few fried in ghee

Instruction:


Note: to make easier, people can use rice cooker but watch the amount of water.

Step 1:
Cook the meat with 1 tsp of chili powder, pinch of turmeric, 1 tsp of Ginger-garlic paste for about 25 min in pressure cooker. Once the meat is tender add the salt.
Take out the meat separately and measure the masala gravy.
Meantime, wash the rice, drain out any water and soak for 15 minutes.
Step 2:
Heat a pot with 1 tsp of ghee and add all the masala 1
Add the sliced onion, green chilies once it turns soft drop the diced tomatoes.
Cook until the masala leaves the oil (ghee) separately in the pot. U can notice the ghee or oil should come out separately!
Put the remaining Ginger-Garlic paste + all leaves (mint & coriander) + yogurt + remaining chili powder + turmeric + cooked meat
Pour the right amount of water according the meat gravy u got it.
(Water= meat Gravy+ water)
Once the water starts to boil add the rice and adjust the salt amount / Chili powder amount and give a quick stir.
Note: at this point u can transfer to rice cooker. Or continue in the stovetop.
When the rice mixture starts to boil.
Reduce the flame to low and cover with a tight lid. Do not open the lid before 15 minutes!
U can notice the aroma of cooked rice should fill the whole house. Be patient!
After 15 or 20 minutes, open the lid add the saffron and powdered masala 2 and mix it gently. U can add the ghee if it the rice is dry and garnish with fresh mint and coriander leaves or with Onions and cashews.

The Biryani is served with hard-boiled egg, raita, gravy, or Eggplant curry.

Tip: The liquid (Gravy) should be little saltier than normal taste so the rice can absorb the salt
Once the rice is cooked and if you think it is less in salt. Don”t panic!
Mix the salt with little amount of water and sprinkle the salt water over the hot rice.

Bon Appetit :)