SIMPLE LAMB BIRYANI FOR BEGINNERS - LAMB BIRYANI RECIPE | AnitaCooks.com

yogurt

🥗Healthier: Greek yogurt

💰Cheaper: sour cream

Greek yogurt adds creaminess with fewer calories.

saffron

💰Cheaper: turmeric

Turmeric provides color at a lower cost.

ghee

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: butter

Olive oil is a healthier fat option.

lamb

🥗Healthier: chicken

💰Cheaper: pork

Chicken is leaner and more affordable.

Wash and drain 2 cups of basmati rice, then soak it in 3 cups of water for 30 minutes.

Grind a spice mix of coriander, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, fennel seeds, star anise, and black peppercorns in a coffee grinder for 20 seconds.

Slice 2 large yellow onions thinly for crispy onions.

Heat a pot and add oil, then add the sliced onions with a little salt and cook until golden brown.

Add 1 tbsp grated ginger and 1.5 tbsp grated garlic to the pot, stir and cook for 1 minute.

Add the ground spice mix and salt to the pot, mix well, and cook for 5 minutes.

Add 0.75 tsp ground turmeric and red chili powder, stir, and cook for 5 more minutes.

Whisk the yogurt smooth and gradually add it to the lamb, stirring well after each addition, then cook for 5 minutes.

Cover the pot and cook the lamb until tender, checking in between and adding hot water (0.5 cup at a time) if needed.

While the lamb is cooking, heat a wide pan with ghee and fry the sliced onions with a little salt until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Drain and set aside.

About 15 minutes before the lamb is done, heat 6 cups of water with whole spices (cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves) until boiling.

Add 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp ghee, and the drained rice to the boiling water, along with 1 tsp lemon juice, and cook for 5-7 minutes until half cooked. Drain the rice.

Soak 0.5 tsp saffron threads in 0.25 cup hot water to create a saffron liquid.

In a heavy-bottomed pot with a tight lid, layer half of the cooked lamb on the bottom, followed by half of the parboiled rice, then the remaining lamb, and finally the remaining rice. Spread the rice evenly.

Make a few deep holes in the rice with the handle of a wooden spoon and pour the saffron liquid into the holes, placing the saffron threads on top.

Sprinkle 1 tbsp ghee all over the rice, cover tightly, and cook on very low heat for approximately 15 minutes or until the rice is tender, checking at 10 minutes and cooking longer if necessary.

Once cooked, sprinkle crispy onions and fresh chopped cilantro over the top, then serve.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

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