Pakistani Lamb Biryani

Name: Pakistani Lamb Biryani
Prep time: 60 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Pakistani Punjabi, Sindhi & Pashtun
Ingredients: 1 cup canola oil; 3 large yellow onions; 2 tbsp garam masala; 1 tsp crushed red chili pepper flakes; 0.5 tsp turmeric; 18 black peppercorns; 9 green cardamom pods; 3 pods black cardamom pods; 4 inches cinnamon sticks; 6 garlic cloves; 6 tomatoes; 5 serrano chilies; 1.5 inches piece ginger; 2 lb trimmed lamb shoulder; kosher salt; 0.5 cup plain yogurt; 0.75 cup roughly chopped mint leaf; 0.25 cup roughly chopped cilantro; 40 saffron strands; 2.5 cup white basmati rice; water; 0.5 tsp cumin seed; 4 whole cloves; 2 dried bay leaves; rose water or kewra essence; red food coloring or orange food coloring

Lamb, tomatoes and serrano chilies come together in this biryani, fragrant with garam masala and turmeric and steamed. It's finished with lamb curry and rice.

1 hr · Serves 6 · Medium

Method

Start cooking mode

Time: Prep 60 min · 60 min total
Difficulty: medium

1
Heat 1⁄4 cup oil in a 5-qt. skillet over high heat. Add onions; cook, stirring occasionally, until dark brown, 20–25 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; set aside.
25 min
2
Heat remaining oil in a 5-qt. pot over high heat. Add garam masala, chile flakes, turmeric, 10 peppercorns, 5 green cardamom pods, 2 black cardamom pods, and 1 cinnamon stick; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add garlic, tomatoes, chiles, and ginger; cook, stirring, 2–3 minutes. Add lamb, season with salt, and cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Cover, reduce heat to medium; cook until lamb is tender, about 1 hour. Add fried onions, yogurt, 1⁄2 cup mint, and 2 tablespoons cilantro; cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes more. Set aside.
3
Put saffron into a bowl and cover with 1⁄2 cup hot water; set aside. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a 5-qt. saucepan. Add remaining peppercorns, green and black cardamom, and cinnamon, along with the rice, cumin, cloves, and bay leaves, and season with salt. Cook rice until al dente, 5–10 minutes; drain rice and set aside.
10 min
4
Transfer half the lamb curry to a 5-qt. pot. Top lamb with half the rice. Pour half the saffron mixture onto rice along with a few drops of rose water and food coloring (if using); mix into rice with your fingers. Top with remaining lamb curry and remaining rice; drizzle with remaining saffron; mix. Steam, covered, on low heat until rice is tender, about 10 minutes. Garnish with remaining mint and cilantro.
10 min