Lamb Biryani Recipe
Recipe contributed by Zaki, Shabina and Nasima and adapted by Lucy Jessop (ANutr) for TiffinWallli
Please halve this recipe, if making to serve 4. You can make the spice mix yourself or use a readymade spice mix as recommended below.
Serves 8
Total time 1 hour 30 mins
640g mixed vegetables, defrosted if frozen (peas, beans, carrots)
600g boneless lamb (e.g. leg meat), visible fat removed and cut into 3cm pieces
1 tbsp rapeseed oil, plus 1-2 tsp
2 large onions, finely sliced
1 tsp salt
8 cloves garlic, finely grated
80g knob root ginger, finely grated
450g Tilda brown rice
2 tbsp tomato puree
200g natural yogurt
50g Alubukhara (dried plums), optional
For the spice mix
2 tbsp ground coriander
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
1⁄2- 1 tsp red chilli powder, as desired
A large pinch ground nutmeg (or freshly grated)
1 tsp fennel seeds, optional
1 1⁄2 tsp black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
6 cloves, or 1⁄2 tsp ground cloves
6 green cardamom pods and 3 black cardamom pods
2 cinnamon sticks
Alternatively, use 1 x 60g pack Shan Biryani spices (we used 30g of Bombay Biryani and 30g of Pilau Biryani mixed to make it less spicy)
To finish
A few drops of Khewra water (rose water), optional
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Juice of half a lemon, plus lemon wedges to serve
Fresh Pomegranate seeds, from half a pomegranate
Handful each of fresh mint and coriander leaves only, chopped
Toasted flaked almonds (optional)
Raita and tomato salad – see separate recipes
Method
Chop lamb, onions, garlic and ginger.
Next, prepare your spice mix if making your own. Mix the ground spices together in a bowl. In a pestle and mortar, grind the black pepper and fennel seeds, add this to the mix. Then add the remaining whole spices.
Heat 1 tsp oil in a large, non-stick deep casserole (with a lid). When hot, add half of the lamb. Stir-fry over a high heat until browned, remove to a plate with a slotted spoon. Repeat with the remaining lamb – you should not need to add more oil.
Add 1 tbsp rapeseed oil to the pan. Add the onions and a small pinch of salt, cover and fry for 5 mins to soften, remove the lid and cook for 10 mins and fry until they turn golden. Scoop out half to a plate for later.
Meanwhile, wash the rice 2-3 times until the water runs clear. Setaside.
Over a low-medium heat, add the garlic and ginger, cook for 2-3 minutes, then increase the heat a little and add the ground and whole spices, adding a large splash of water ( but not too much, just enough to allow the spices not to stick). Cook for a further 2-3 minutes until aromatic. Return the lamb and add the tomatoes,1 tsp salt and cook stirring for 3-4 minutes.
Reduce the heat to low, stir in the yogurt and dried plums; cover with a lid and simmer very gently for 40 minutes (or longer if you have time) until the lamb is tender.
After the lamb has cooked for 25 minutes, cook the rice in a large pan of boiling water (with 1⁄4 tsp salt) for 15- 20 minutes to almost fully cook. Then drain well and set aside.
When the lamb is cooked to your liking, add the vegetables to the lamb for the final 5 minutes of cooking time. Taste to check the seasoning. Scoop it out to a bowl. Now, layer the rice, lamb and vegetables, onions and mint and coriander, then repeat, finishing with rice. Add the Khewra water (if using) and drizzle over the extra virgin olive oil.
Cover and allow to steam over a low heat for 10 minutes until the rice is fluffy.
Finish with a squeeze of lemon and a scattering of fresh coriander, pomegranate seeds and a few toasted almonds. Serve with raita and salads.
About this recipe
We used less oil and swapped ghee for healthier rapeseed oil which is much lower in saturated fat
We’ve used brown rice which increases the fibre content compared to plain basmati – and adds a nice texture
We’ve ensured there’s a good amount of veg coming from the onion, garlic, ginger, tomato and vegetables added at the end
We’ve removed any visible fat from the lamb to reduce the amount of saturated fat. We also discard the oil which it releases after the searing.
We’ve added toasted almonds as an optional topping as these provide healthy fats and lots of flavour too.
Pomegranate seeds add a burst of juicy flavour and they go well with lamb – they are also full of beneficial antioxidants.
TIPS
Experiment with adding different vegetables - try folding in fresh spinach
Try it with chicken ( skinless, boneless chicken thighs, chopped) to further reduce the saturated fat
For a vegetarian version, simmer the sauce for the time before adding the vegetables to ensure they don’t overcook and maintain their nutrients - increase the quantity of vegetables too. You could also serve this with boiled eggs
Add Alubukhara (Dried plum) when layering if you like.
Instead of tinned tomatoes use 2 fresh tomatoes, finely chopped and tablespoon of tomato puree
Use a curry paste or spice mix and marinade lamb ahead – if you do this do not add much extra salt as these ready made mixes contain salt already.
