lamb (gosht) biryani

Ingredients

• Servings: 8
• 2 1/2 cups basmati rice
• 1/4 cup cooking oil
• 8 whole cloves
• 4 black cardamom pods
• 4 cinnamon sticks
• 4 large onions, sliced thin
• 1 tablespoon garlic paste
• 1 tablespoon ginger paste
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
• 1 pound lamb chops
• salt to taste
• 3 tomatoes, chopped
• 4 green chile peppers, halved lengthwise
• 2 teaspoons ground red pepper
• 2 tablespoons plain yogurt
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 7 1/2 cups water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron
• 2 tablespoons warm milk

Recipe

Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ready Time: 1 hr 25 mins


• place the basmati rice in a large container and cover with several inches of cool water; let stand 30 minutes. drain.
• heat 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet over medium hear; fry the cloves, cardamom pods, and cinnamon sticks in the hot oil until fragrant, about 1 minute. add the onions; cook and stir until the onions are lightly browned, about 5 minutes. stir the garlic paste and ginger paste into the onion mixture; cook until the garlic and ginger is fragrant, about 1 minute more. sprinkle the cilantro and mint over the mixture and cook 1 minute more.
• add the lamb chops to the skillet; season with salt. cook and stir the lamb until the meat begins to brown, about 20 minutes.
• stir the tomatoes, green chile peppers, and ground red pepper into the mixture; continue cooking until the oil begins to separate from the gravy, about 10 minutes. add the yogurt and lemon juice; cover and cook until the lamb is tender, about 15 minutes. add water as needed to keep the mixture from getting too dry.
• bring the rice, 7 1/2 cups water, and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil in a saucepan until the rice is nearly done yet a little chewy, 10 to 15 minutes; drain any excess water.
• heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small skillet; fry the sliced onion in the hot oil until lightly browned.
• layer about half the rice in the bottom of a deep pot with a lid. spoon the lamb masala over the rice. spread the fried onion over the lamb masala. top with the remaining rice. stir the saffron and warm milk together in a small bowl; pour over the top layer of rice. cover the pot with the lid and place the pot over low heat; cook until the rice is thoroughly cooked, about 15 minutes.