Hyderabadi Lamb Biryani
Hyderabadi lamb biryani is an amazingly delicious Indian dish with tender chunks of lamb in layers of fluffy rice, fragrant spices and fried onions.
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Oil for deep-frying, plus extra
5 onions, thinly sliced
2 cups Spekko Basmati Extra Long Grain White Rice, soaked for 30 minutes
Salt
2 bay leaves
10 green cardamom pods
20 black peppercorns
3 cinnamon sticks
½ tsp caraway seeds
10 cloves
1 cup full cream yoghurt
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 thumb ginger, grated
1 tsp red chilli powder
½ cup fresh coriander leaves, torn
½ cup fresh mint leaves, torn
750 g lamb or mutton on the bone, cut into medium-sized pieces
4 Tbs ghee
2 black cardamom pods
1 pinch saffron strands soaked in ¼ cup milk
To serve
Extra crispy onion
Fresh coriander
Heat oil for deep-frying. Fry half of the sliced onions until crisp, then drain and set aside.
Heat 6 cups of water in a deep pot. Drain the rice and add it to the pot of water with the bay leaves, green cardamom pods, half of the black peppercorns and 1 cinnamon stick. Cook the rice halfway, then drain and discard the spices.
Mix the caraway seeds, 1 cinnamon stick, remaining peppercorns, half of the cloves, and remaining green cardamom pods together in a pestle and mortar. Grind to a fine powder.
Put the ground spice mix into a large bowl or dish with the yoghurt, 1 tablespoon of oil, chilli powder, garlic and ginger, coriander and half of the mint. Mix well then add the lamb. Rub the yoghurt into the lamb, then cover and allow to marinate for at least 2 hours.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the ghee in a pot. Add the remaining cinnamon and black cardamom pods. Sauté until fragrant. Add the remaining onions and cook until golden. Add the lamb, fry for a few minutes on high heat, then cover, reduce the heat, and cook until the lamb is soft, about 1½ hours.
Heat the remaining ghee in a deep cast-iron pot. Spread half the rice over the bottom. Add the cooked lamb, sprinkle with mint leaves and deep-fried onions (leaving a small handful aside for garnish). Cover with the remaining rice. Drizzle over the saffron milk. Cover the pot with tin foil, then a fitted lid. Cook over low heat until the rice is cooked.
Serve hot, garnished with extra deep-fried onion and fresh coriander on top, and served with a raita of your choice.