Cook time: 1-1.5 hours plus 3-12 hours marinate time
Serves: 4-5 people
Ingredients:
- 1 kg Beef, lamb or chicken thigh fillets cut into 1.5 inch pieces
- 2 large onions finely sliced
- Half cup greek yoghurt
- 3 cups basmati rice
- 1 Tablespoon crushed garlic
- 1 Tablespoon crushed ginger
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 3 Tablespoons ghee or butter
- 3 Green Cardamom pods
- Half a bunch of coriander finely chopped.
- Half to 1 teaspoon chilli powder depending on heat preference.
- 1.5 teaspoon Celina's Pantry Biryani spice mix
- 1-2 cups of water or low sodium stock (1 cup for chicken or 2 cups for red meat)
- Optional toppings: fresh coriander, crispy fried onions, toasted almonds, diced tomato
Method:
- Combine 1 teaspoon Celinas Pantry Biryani spice mix, yoghurt, garlic, ginger, 1 teaspoon salt and meat. mix well and leave to marinate for at least 3 hours or over night if possible.
- Place 2 Tablespoons of ghee/butter into a large non-stick pan/skillet and melt on low heat.
- Add the onions and fry gently until caramelised and jammy. This should take 10-15 minutes.
- Add the remaining half teaspoon of Biryani spice mix to the onions and stir to combine.
- Remove half the onions and set aside for later use.
- Add the meat mixture and chilli powder to the onions remaining in the pan and increase heat to medium high.
- Cook stirring regularly until meat is well sealed.
- Add the water/stock and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Reduce heat to low then cover with a lid and allow to simmer gently until meat is tender. If using chicken simmer UNCOVERED until cooked through.
FOR THE RICE:
- Rinse rice with cold tap water until the water runs clear. drain thoroughly.
- Place rice into a large pot and add 6 cups of water, cardamom pods, 1 Tablespoon salt and 1 Tablespoon ghee/butter
- Cook on the highest setting. once the water comes to a boil cook for 3 minutes then drain and set aside. DO NOT DISCARD THE CARDAMOM PODS.
TO ASSEMBLE:
- Preheat oven to 160c.
- Use an oven proof casserole dish with a lid or dutch oven
- Place half the meat mixture in an even layer into the casserole dish/dutch oven
- Now add half the rice in an even layer. top with the remaining half of the meat and sprinkle over coriander.
- Add the rest of the rice and smooth out evenly then sprinkle over the remaining half of the reserved caramelised onions.
- Cover tightly with a layer of foil then place on the lid.
- Bake at 160c for 30 minutes. remove from oven and allow to stand for 1o minutes before serving.
- To serve fluff rice with a fork then sprinkle over additional optional toppings of your choice.