Hyderabadi Style Lamb Biryani Recipes

MUTTON BIRYANI | LAMB BIRYANI

Steps:

• Marinate mutton with red chili powder, biryani masala, yogurt, ginger garlic, turmeric, lemon juice, oil and salt.
• Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Overnight is best.
• If you are using raw papaya paste, you can just set aside for 1 hour & begin to prepare.
• Wash rice and soak for 30 to 40 minutes.
• Drain it completely to a colander and set aside.
• Heat a heavy bottom pan or a pressure cooker with oil. Add the whole spices.
• Skip this section if using store bought fried onions.
• Add onions, green chilies and fry till they turn brown almost about to caramelize.
• Keep stirring to prevent burning. This is crucial to get a good aroma and taste.
• There must be enough oil for the onions to fry. Set aside half of the fried onions for garnish.
• Reduce the flame to low. Add the marinated meat.
• Add half of the coriander and mint leaves saute for 3 to 4 mins.
• Cook covered on a low flame till the mutton turns soft and tender. Or cook for 2 to 3 whistles in a pressure cooker. Turn off the stove.
• If cooking in the pan without pressure cooker, stir occasionally to prevent burning. Remember the flame has to be very low otherwise mutton may turn hard.
• While the meat is cooking, Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add the whole spices and salt. Make sure the water is slightly salty.
• When the water comes to a boil, add the drained rice.
• Cook until 90% done or aldente. When you bite the grain , it must be cooked completely but you must be able to feel the bite into it. Drain it off to a colander.
• Soak saffron in little milk and set aside.
• When the pressure goes off, open the lid. You will be left with a thick gravy. Mutton must be cooked completely now. Check it , if still undone. Cook until it is soft and tender.
• Add the rest of the half cup curd to the cooked mutton.
• Next add few chopped coriander and mint leaves.
• Few fried onions. Mix everything well.
• You can check the salt and spice at this stage and adjust.
• Layer the rice evenly over the cooked lamb meat.
• Sprinkle some chopped coriander, mint leaves, fried onions and tbsp of ghee.
• Lastly pour the saffron milk.
• Cover the rim of the biryani pot with a moist thick clean cloth or foil.
• Place a heavy lid over it. If you do not have a heavy lid. Just place a bowl filled with water over the lid. You can also seal it with atta.
• Heat a old tawa until very hot. Place this biryani pot over the hot tawa and cook on a low flame for 15 mins.
• Allow to rest for at least 15 mins.
• Serve mutton biryani with raita.

HYDERABADI BIRYANI

Steps:

• Slice onion thinly, separate the layers and set aside.
• Heat 4 tbsps oil or ghee in a deep pan.
• Fry the onions stirring often until deep golden to brown.
• Do not burn else they turn bitter. Remove them from oil & set aside.
• Cool & pour this oil to the marinade later.
• Add yogurt, salt, turmeric, chili powder, biryani or garam masala powder, cardamom powder, green chilli, ginger garlic paste & lemon juice to a mixing bowl.
• Mix well & taste this. If needed add more salt or spice.
• Next add in chicken & marinate for 2 hours to overnight for best results.
• Overnight marination in fridge yields best soft succulent chicken.
• Wash rice till the water runs clear. Soak for 30 minutes. Drain & set aside.
• Heat 6 to 7 cups water in a pot. Add 1 tsp oil, whole spices & salt.
• Taste this. The water has to be slightly salty.
• Boil water rapidly for 5 mins to release the aroma of spices.
• Add rice & cook till it is ¾ or 75% done.
• The center of the rice must be still slightly uncooked.
• Do not make the rice mushy. Drain off to a colander.
• While the rice cooks, transfer marinated chicken to a heavy bottom casserole or non-stick pan.
• Add oil, ½ of the fried onions, mint & coriander leaves. Mix & spread chicken in a single even layer.
• Layer the cooked rice evenly, sprinkle fried onions, mint & coriander leaves over the chicken.
• Sprinkle ¼ tsp masala powder. Pour the saffron milk all over & then ghee.
• Cover the pot with a foil to trap the steam or dum. Then cover with a tight & heavy lid.
• Bake for 30 to 40 mins at 200 C in a preheated oven. The timings will slightly vary depending on the depth of the casserole/pot used. Once done, if the chicken is too moist then bake for another 10 mins.
• Place this over a thick hot griddle or tawa. Set the flame to medium high such that the flame reaches all over the diameter of the casserole. Cook this way for exactly 20 mins.
• Reduce the flame to lowest. Cook for exactly 15 mins. Off the flame. Rest for 20 to 30 mins.
• Garnish hyderabadi biryani with fresh chopped coriander leaves & serve with raita.

HYDERABADI BIRYANI (YOGURT MARINATED LAMB)

Steps:

• Place lamb in a bowl, coat with yogurt, cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
• Begin preparing rice by soaking in water for 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Prepare masala 1 by grinding together in a food processor the garlic clove and ginger to a fine paste.
• Prepare masala 2 by grinding coriander seeds, fennel seeds and poppy seeds then make a fine paste by adding the red chiles through the feed tube of a food processor followed by the dry ground spices.
• Prepare masala 3 by grinding together coconut, cashew nuts and yogurt (in that order) through the feed tube of a running food processor.
• To begin cooking the lamb, heat 4 teaspoons ghee in a wok and swirl to coat inside surface. Add 3 cloves, 3 cardamom pods, and 3 cinnamon sticks, and "toast" briefly in the wok. Then, add chopped green chiles and onion and fry until mixture turns golden brown (be careful not to burn). Add masala 1 and stir well, cooking for a few minutes. Add masala 2 and stir well, cooking for a few minutes to integrate flavors.
• Add the diced tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes. Transfer marinated lamb to wok and also add cilantro and mint leaves. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, then add 1/2 cup water and salt. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, then stir in masala 3. Cover and cook until the sauce becomes thick.
• Heat 3 teaspoons ghee in another wok or saucepan and add cloves, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, bay leaf and cumin seeds, and fry for 1 minute. Add the rice and stir for about 2 to 3 minutes to "toast" the rice. Add the 3 1/2 cups water and salt, bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and let cook until the water is absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes. When rice is done, remove from heat and allow to cool.
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• The biryani will be layered in a dish. A 13 by 9-inch ovenproof dish (such as the type used for lasagna) or something similar would be suitable. Divide rice into 3 parts and the lamb mixture into 2 parts. Grease the dish and arrange 5 alternate layers of rice and meat, beginning and ending with rice.
• Dissolve the saffron threads in the 1/4 cup milk and spoon it over the top layer of rice. Cover the biryani with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Let rest for a few minutes before serving.
• Transfer to a serving plate to reveal layers. Garnish with fried onions, cashew nuts, raisins and hard boiled eggs.

HYDERABADI BIRYANI

Steps:

• Lay the lamb pieces in the bottom of a flat copper dish or Dutch oven. Add papaya paste, ginger paste, garlic paste, salt, turmeric, chile powder, cinnamon stick, cloves, and cardamom pods. Mix the spices into the meat with your hands.
• Heat 1-inch of refined peanut oil or sunflower oil in a saute pan to 360 degrees F. Add the thinly sliced onions and fry until light golden and crisp. Remove from the oil and drain on paper towels. Reserve the oil. Crush the fried onions onto meat and mix with hands. Add yogurt and mix again. Add lemon juice, fresh herbs, and 2 tablespoons of the oil that is leftover from the onions. Cover and refrigerate for 40 to 45 minutes, for the flavor to develop.
• While the meat is marinating, par boil the rice as if it were pasta in a 6 cups of salted boiling water. When the rice is still crunchy in the middle, remove from the heat and strain, reserving the cooking liquid. In a small bowl, mix the ghee with 2 cups of the water from the boiling rice and pour over the rice. Add the saffron and milk mixture to the rice and pour over the meat mixture. Place a lid over the dish, but do not remove it until completely cooked. Cook in a preheated 350 degree F, oven for 40 minutes. Serve with Nan bread and salad.