My Hyderabad-style Biryani

Dear Indian subcontinent, I'm sorry! Here's how I make Hyderabad-style Biryani.

This is for 1kg lamb with 500g rice, which yields two full casseroles of Biryani. Don’t be too precise about the quantities of the spices; This is cooking, not science.

I've cooked this twice so far and everyone was pretty happy with the results. It should work with other types of meat and even seafood. Expect updates here as I continue to experiment with this recipe.

Marinated Meat

Take 1kg of diced lamb. Add minced garlic (50g), grated ginger (50g), salt, freshly ground black pepper, chili (powder, flakes or even crispy chili oil), juice from one lemon, turmeric (2 tsp), some oil. I like to use sesame oil, but sunflower or rapeseed is fine, too.

Mix evenly and refrigerate for a few hours.. a whole day is perfectly fine.

Biryani Sauce

Thinly slice 2-4 onions and fry them with oil, butter or ghee on medium heat. Set them aside once they're soft and slightly brown.

While the pan is still medium hot: Add a bit of new oil and heat bay leaves (2-3 pcs), cumin seeds (1 tsp), star anise (1-2 pcs), one cinnamon stick. Once the whole spices are toasted, add garam masala (1 tsp) and turmeric (1 tsp). Stir for a while and add the caramelised onions. Stir for another while and set everything aside again.

Using the same pan, add new oil, increase the heat and fry the lamb evenly. Then decrease the heat and put everything together: caramelised onions, fried spices and meat. Add chopped tomato (800 g), water (200 ml), chopped mint (10 g), chopped cilantro (20 g), salt and a bit sugar.

Simmer gently for about one hour.

Biryani Rice

Wash rice (500g) and cover it with cold water for an hour (while the sauce is cooking).

Take a fresh pan and heat butter or ghee. Mildly fry 1-2 red onions, cumin seeds (2 tsp), a handful of cardamom pods, one bay leaf, two cinnamon sticks, 5-10 cloves.. Pour with milk and water (200 ml each). Add turmeric (1 tsp). Put in the rice. Boil shortly, then stir on lower heat until most of the milk-water mixture is absorbed by the rice.

Put together

Layer the bottom half of a casserole dish with the biryani sauce, then fill the remaining half with the soaked rice. Bake covered until the rice is soft.

Mix some yoghurt with a bit of chopped mint. Let it rest so the flavors can meld.

Serve up

Serve the Biryani with the mixed yoghurt and some fresh green, e.g. lettuce and/or some cilantro on top.