Beef Biryani
One pot beef biryani infused with classic Indian spices.
INGREDIENTS
Rice:
- 2 cups basmati rice
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 2 cardamom pods
- 2 cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 10 cups water
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Salt to taste
Fried Option:
- 2 tbsp oil
- 2 cups sliced white onions
Fried raisins:
- 1 tbsp ghee
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 1 tbsp ghee
- 1/4 cup cashew nuts
Saffron milk:
- 1 tsp saffron
- 2 tbsp lukewarm milk
Beef micture
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 4 cloves
- 4 cardamom pods
- 1 tsp black cumin seeds
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tbsp ghee
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 cup sliced red onions
- 1 tbsp minced ginger (ginger paste)
- 1 tbsp minced garlic (garlic paste)
- 2 tsp green chili paste
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric (turmeric powder)
- 2 tsp ground coriander (coriander powder)
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1-2 tsp red chili powder
- 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 1 kg beef, cut into medium-sized pieces
- 1/4 cup yogurt
- 1/4 cup chopped coriander (cilantro) and mint leaves
- 1 cup water
- Salt to taste
Layering biryani:
- 2 tbsp ghee
- 2 tsp rose water
- 4 tbsp coriander (cilantro) and mint leaves
Instructions
Cook rice:
- Rinse rice under cold running water. Soak for about 20 minutes. Drain. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add bay leaf, cardamom,
cinnamon and cloves. Stir fry for few seconds. Add water. Bring to boil. Add rice and
lemon juice. Season with salt. Stir gently. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low
and simmer until rice is tender. Drain. Set aside.
Fried onions
- Heat oil in a small frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onions. Sauté, stirring
occasionally, for 3-4 minutes or until browned and crispy. Drain on an absorbent
towel.
Fried raisins
- In the same pan, heat ghee. Add raisins. Sauté, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes or
until plump. Drain on an absorbent towel.
Fried cashew nuts:
- . In the same pan, heat more ghee if required. Add cashew nuts. Sauté, stirring
constantly, for 1-2 minutes or until browned. Drain on an absorbent towel.
Saffron milk
- . Place milk in a small bowl. Add saffron. Stir. Seat aside for 10 minutes.
Beef mixture:
- Place bay leaves, cloves, cardamom, cumin seeds, fennel seeds and cinnamon in a
frying pan. Stir fry for a minute or until lightly browned. Grind to a fine powder. Set
aside.
- Heat ghee and oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Add red onions.
Sauté, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes or until browned. Add ginger, garlic and
green chili paste. Sauté, stirring constantly, for 1 minute or until aromatic.
- Add dry spice mixture, ground turmeric, ground coriander, garam masala and red
chili powder. Sauté, stirring constantly, for 1 minute or until aromatic. Add chopped
tomatoes. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes or until mushy.
- Add Beef. Season with salt. Stir fry for 5 minutes. Add yogurt, and coriander
(cilantro) and mint leaves. Pour 1 cup water. Stir. Cook, covered, for 30 mins or until
beef is cooked through and the sauce is thick.
Layering:
- In a large heavy bottomed oven proof pan, arrange half of beef mixture in a single
layer. Top with half of rice followed by 1 tbsp ghee, 1 tsp rose water, half of saffron
milk, half of fried onions, half of raisins, half of cashew nuts, and 2 tbsp coriander
(cilantro) and mint leaves.
- Top with remaining beef mixture, rice, saffron milk, fried onions, raisins, cashew
nuts, coriander (cilantro) and mint leaves, 1 tbsp ghee and 1 tsp rose water.
- Preheat oven to 180C or 350F.
- To “dum” biryani, bake for about 30 minutes.
- Alternatively, you can dum biryani over low heat on the stove top.
Notes
- If you do not like beef, you can substitute with lamb.
Enjoy the Beef-Biryani