Recipe for Biryani that can be used for Lamb or Chicken
Biryani is the food of royalty, visiting in laws and special occasions.
Cook this iconic dish by following Vanessa’s step by step recipe
- Prep Time: 60
- Cook Time: 120
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 8 1x
- Category: Durban Curry
- Method: Moderate
- Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups rice
- 2 pinches egg yellow
- Salt to taste
- 2 cups brown lentils
- Tumeric as needed
- Dry Spices
- 3 green cardamom /remove seeds from the pod after dry roasting
- 2 tsp cumin/jeera
- 1 tbs coriander seeds
- Half tsp fennel
- 1 black cardamom pod
- 1 star aniseed
- 3 cloves plus more for rice
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 pieces of cinnamon sticks
- Few pepper corns OR If you have biryani spice ground use that.
Instructions
Method to Marinate Meat
- Dry roast the whole spices. Grind to powder and keep aside.
- In a small pot,Deep fry potatoes with 1 tsp egg yellow colouring until golden brown. Keep aside.
- In pot, add meat, yoghurt, ground spices, Kashmiri chilli powder, turmeric, tomatoes, ginger garlic paste, curry leaves, chillies and salt to taste. Cover and let it marinate in fridge for 2 hours or i prefer overnight for proper infusion of spices.
How to cook Onions, Potatoes, Lentils & Meat
- In a small pot,Deep fry potatoes with 1 tsp egg yellow colouring until golden brown. Keep aside.
- Use the same oil to fry the onion until golden brown and set aside.
- Par boil the rice on high for 15 minutes with 2 cinnamon sticks, 4 cloves and salt to taste. Strain and set aside.
- Par boil 2 cups of brown lentils; with salt and a pinch of tumeric; strain and set aside.
- In a large flat pot, add the same oil used to fry the onion and potato, add the marinated meat let it cook until all the water is released, for about 30 minutes, stirring a few times.
How to layer the Biriyani
- layer the rice with the lentils, place the potatoes around and cover with the rice.
- Add a few sprigs of chopped mint around; then a few curry leaves and spread the fried onion around.
- Slice a few pats of butter and place around the edges and a dollop in the center.
- I use a half cup of milk and pour it around the pot and some in the middle.
How to cook the Biryani
- Cook in a preheated oven set at 180C or 350F.
- Cook for about 2 hours check to make sure meat and potatoes are done and all liquid is dry then its done
Notes
For more recipes by Vanessa L
For more Biryani Recipes
For more Mutton / Lamb Curry Recipes
You are invited to join our Facebook group, “We are Durban Curry Lovers“, where a group of wonderful people share their tips, tricks & family secrets on our quests in becoming a Master Curry Chefs.
Keywords: breyani, biriyani, biryani, lamb