Lamb Biryani
Lamb Biryani
Difficulty Level: Detailed
Serves 4-6
600g / 21 oz boneless lamb leg disced into 3 to 4 cm ( 1inch) chunks
1 small sliced red onion
400g / 14 oz thinly slice white onions
Large pinch of saffron
290ml / 10 fl oz vegetable oil
The seeds of 3 cardamon pods
2 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick
15g/ 0.5 oz peeled and blended root ginger
3cm peeled ginger sliced into fine matchsticks
25g /1 oz peeled and blended garlic
2 ¾tsp of salt
¾ tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
60g / 2.5oz Greek yoghurt
200ml / 7 fl oz vegetable or lamb stock
Pinch of ground cardamon
Pinch of ground mace
1 lime juiced
1 tsp rose water
3 large green chilies sliced
6 large mint leaves sliced
30 coriander leaves
300g / 10 ½ oz basmati rice
30g / 1.5 oz butter
3 tablespoons of double cream
Preparation
Firstly make crispy fried onions, heat 250ml (8.5 fl oz) of the vegetable oil and add the thinly sliced white onions and fry until a deep brown, take care not to burn. When brown drain on kitchen paper and set aside.
Add the saffron to a warm frying pan and turn off the heat. When cool crumble the saffron between your fingers and then add a tablespoon of boiling water, set aside. Wear gloves if you don’t want yellow fingers!
Take a large saucepan / casserole and warm 40ml of the oil over a medium hear, add the red onion and fry until a dark golden brown. Don’t let it catch
Add cardamon seeds, bay leaves and cinnamon stick and stir for a minute
Add the lamb and brown on all sides stirring as you do it. When brown add the garlic and ginger paste and stir for another few minutes. Add the turmeric, chili powder, salt and garam masala. Stir for a minute
Now stir in the yoghurt and when the oil separates about 5 minutes add the stock and turn down the heat, simmer lidless for 50 minutes until the lamb is seriously tender
Now take the basmati and put it into a large bowl and wash two or three times to remove the starch, be gentle as you want lovely long grains. Then leave to soak in fresh water until the lamb is done. Say 50 minutes
When the lamb is tender remove the diced pieces from the cooking juice and throw away the bay leaves and cinnamon stick. Put the cooking fluid from the lamb in a measuring jug as you need 120ml for the rice, if it is much more than that return to the heat and reduce to get the depth of flavour.
Heat the oven to 200c / 180 fan and put the lamb in the bottom of your biryani pot. Add the cooking fluid, green chilies, ground cardamon, fried onions, rose water, mace, ginger matchsticks, ½ the lime juice mint and coriander leaves. Mix well
Drain the rice that is soaking
Bring a pan with around 2 L of water to the boil add 2 tsp of salt and ½ the lime juice. Boil for 4 minutes and no more than 5 a grain of rice should be firm and break into pieces when squeezed. Drain the rice and put in the briyani pot on top of the lamb mixture
Melt the butter and cream together either in a microwave or a small pan, trickle it over the rice then also trickle the saffron water
Double seal with foil and pop on a hob for a couple of minutes then add the lid and bake for 20 minutes. Leave to stand for an additional ten minutes WITHOUT peeking.
