Some people think of rice as a boring accompaniment to a dish. However, there is so much more to this ingredient, and you can transform it into a stunning main meal. The way you cook it and the flavours you use can transform a seemingly basic ingredient into something delicious. There are examples of mouthwatering rice dishes from across the globe that reflect the culinary traditions of each country. One of the most famous Indian rice dishes is lamb biryani, one of our favourite ways to eat rice.
What Is Lamb Biryani?
Like many Indian dishes, there are many variations of lamb biryani, although the basics of the dish remain the same. It is a baked rice dish featuring lamb and an array of herbs and spices to develop a delicious flavour. We also have a recipe for vegetable biryani, a vegetarian version of the recipe. Several regions of India and Pakistan have a unique variety of the dish, such as Hyderabadi biryani and Bombay biryani.
There are two main methods of cooking the meat for biryani. The first is to cook the meat raw in rice, which is the kacchi method. The word kacchis means raw in Hindi. Alternatively, you can use the pakki method. The word pakki is Hindi for cooked, and this is our preferred method of making the dish. It involves cooking the rice separately and then adding to the rice and other ingredients.
It is worth noting an alternative, unofficial way of making the dish, and one that we sometimes use. If we have leftover lamb from a Sunday roast, we sometimes use the cooked meat to make a lamb biryani the next day. It is less flavoursome than using a traditional method, but it is a delicious dish, nonetheless.
Developing Flavour in a Lamb Biryani
Like many Indian dishes, lamb biryani has layers of flavour that tease the tongue. These flavours do not develop on their own. The choice of ingredients and the methods you use all play a part in making a tasty biryani.
It begins with marinating the meat overnight. Not only does this add to the dish’s flavour, but it also helps tenderize the meat. Caramelizing the onions until golden brown is another way of adding flavour, but it is important not to take the caramelization too far, or it adds a bitter taste. Getting the right balance of spices in the dish is the final and possibly most important way of adding flavour to this traditional Indian dish.
Lamb Biryani Recipe: An Easy Rice and Meat Dish
Course: International dishesCuisine: IndianDifficulty: Medium6
servings15
minutes2
hoursNO
NO
YES
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A delicious recipe for lamb biryani, a classic Indian dish of rice, meat, and spices.
Ingredients for the Lamb Biryani Recipe
•t2 lb/ 910g boneless leg of lamb with the fat trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
•t250 ml plain, unsweetened full-fat yogurt
• 6 garlic cloves, grated or finely chopped
• A 2–inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
•t1.5 teaspoons of salt
•t7 tbsp of olive oil or ghee
• 2 large white onions, thinly sliced
•t1 red pepper, finely sliced
•t200g baby spinach leaves
•t5 green cardamom pods
•t4 cloves
•t1 cinnamon stick
•t2 dried bay leaves
•t1 teaspoon garam masala
•t1 dried red chilli
•t0.5 teaspoon ground mace
•t0.5 teaspoon ground turmeric
•t250 ml of stock (lamb, beef, chicken, or vegetable) or water
•t2 cups (400g) basmati rice
•tLemon juice of two fresh lemons
•t1 bunch fresh coriander, chopped
•t1 bunch fresh mint leaves, chopped
•t2 fresh green chilli, such as bird’s eye chilli, minced
•t60 ml whole milk
•t20 strands of saffron, divided
Directions: How to Make the Lamb Biryani Recipe
- Marinating the Lamb
- Preparation of the dish begins the night before with marinating the lamb, or you can do it first thing in the morning so the lamb is marinated at tea time.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, mix the yoghurt, ginger, garlic, and half the salt.
- If the lamb is not already diced, dice the lamb into 1-inch cubes, then put it into a zip-loc bag.
- Pour the yoghurt mixture over the lamb in the bag, then seal the zip. Give the ingredients a good shake so the yoghurt mixture covers the lamb.
- Refrigerate for at least eight hours.
- Cooking the Lamb Biryani
- Add the oil or ghee to a large pan and put over medium heat on the hob.
- Then, add the onions and a little salt to the pan and cook for five minutes.
- Add the sliced peppers to the pan and continue to cook for another ten minutes while stirring occasionally or until both the onions and peppers are browning. Be careful not to allow them to burn too much, or it will add a bitter taste to the biryani.
- Reduce the hob heat to low, then add the cinnamon, bay leaves, cloves, chilli, garam masala, cardamon pods, turmeric, and mace. Sautee the ingredients for around four minutes until the spices are fragrant.
- Next, add the lamb and its marinade to the pan, then increase the heat to medium-high.
- Once the liquid begins to boil, reduce the heat again to low. Cover the pan with a lid, and cook for approximately 40 minutes or until the lamb is tender.
- While the lamb is cooking, rinse the rice, then put it into a bowl and cover it with cold water. Leave it to stand for 30 minutes.
- Strain the rice, then put it in a saucepan with a little salt, lemon juice, two cardamom pods, a little oil or ghee, and 950 ml of cold water.
- Put the pan over medium heat and simmer for five minutes, then strain the rice. The rice is only partially cooked at this stage of the recipe.
- Preheat the oven to 180C/ 350F.
- Remove the lid from the pan with the lamb, onions, pepper, and spices. Turn the heat back up to medium and cook for another five minutes to reduce the liquid. Stir the ingredients occasionally to prevent scorching.
- Transfer the lamb mixture to a deep baking tin or an ovenproof casserole dish, then cover with the rice.
- Use a pestle and mortar to grind half the saffron.
- Put the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat on the hob and add the ground saffron and the remaining saffron strands. Let the mixture bubble for a minute or two, then remove from the heat and leave the saffron to steep in the milk for five minutes.
- Sprinkle the saffron milk over the rice, then cover the dish with aluminium foil and create a good seal around the edge.
- Put the dish in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, until the rice is cooked through.
- Remove from the oven and take off the foil. Add the spinach to the dish and gently stir to combine the ingredients and loosen the rice.
- Serve immediately.
Additional Tips
- Try sprinkling some rosewater or pandang water over the rice before it goes into the oven to add extra flavour and fragrance.
- Caramelize extra onions to use for a garnish, if you wish.
- Add extra chilli if you prefer a spicier biryani.
- Some people enjoy eating this dish with yoghurt or raita to add moisture.
Did you enjoy this recipe?
If you enjoyed our recipe for lamb biryani, you might also like to try some of our other mouthwatering Indian dishes and curries:
- Kala chana saag
- Spinach and cauliflower curry
- Kashmiri lamb rogan josh
- Saag aloo or sweet potato saag aloo
- Beef massaman or lamb massaman curries
- Saag bhaji
- Thai vegetable red curry
- Cheat’s leftover turkey curry
Have you tried our lamb biryani? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
[…] Lamb Biryani […]
[…] Like many Indian dishes, there are many variations of biryani, although the basics of the dish remain the same. It is a baked rice dish featuring rice, vegetables, and an array of herbs and spices to develop a delicious flavour. Several regions of Pakistan and India have a unique variety of the dish, such as Hyderabadi biryani and Bombay biryani. If you are a meat eater, you might also like to try our recipe for lamb biryani. […]