Hyderabadi Lamb Biriyani

When I think about celebrations, the dish that I remember most fondly is biriyani. We all have those dishes that mark moments in our life perhaps like Thanksgiving turkey or birthday cake. And for our family, lamb biriyani was it. Biryani was a labor of love for my mother - fragrant rice layered with spiced lamb. A classic dish that marks special occasions - holidays, birthdays, and when friends and family came to visit. The house would be filled with the aroma of all the ingredients coming together. She would love to serve biriyani with lemony yogurt chutney or tomato chutney. My mother would recall how in India, biriyani would be made outside in a huge pot over a fire, enough to feed several families. Any extra would be given to people in need, something that everyone could enjoy.

For the longest time, I thought biriyani was too hard to make. In that special domain of Mom, that only Moms can make and make well. During college and later medical school, I began thinking that one day I would be a mom too and I should learn to make the dish so that my kids could enjoy it as much as I do.

Biriyani has a long history and can be made with lamb, chicken, shrimp, and also with vegetables. Thought to have likely originated in Persia, biriyani may have made its way to India via the Mughals. My mother's family was from Hyderabad, in the south of India and so her classic recipe is Hyderabadi dum biriyani. There are so many biriyani recipes from all across India. Hyderabadi dum biriyani gets its name from the "dum" part or when the rice steams over the simmering spices, this way the rice is not only just simply cooked but infused with all the great flavors.

Hyderabadi biriyani comes together from a few simple ingredients. Onions are the base of the dish, lots of onions, very thinly sliced. They are the foundation of this dish and give the rice plenty of subtle flavor without being "oniony". By slicing the onions thinly, they literally melt in your mouth. I typically use a Japanese mandoline. It's simple and quick. My mom used a traditional french mandoline which is great. In a pinch, I've used a food processor but definitely, the onions are not as thin but it works if you are in a hurry. When sauteing them, really give them time, at least 10 to 15 minutes over medium heat to become super soft and a little brown on the edges. This will pay off in the final dish.

Several tablespoons of garlic and ginger add another layer of flavor. You know when the garlic and ginger are done when it begins to stick to the pan, like really stick. You would almost think it's burning and going to ruin everything, but this is when it's perfect. The aroma also changes from a raw garlic/ginger smell to something more warm and caramelly.

The kachaa green masala or raw green masala is a combination of fresh cilantro, fresh mint, and green chilis. Fresh cilantro is a hallmark of Indian cuisine and a combination of mint and cilantro gives the rice a lovely herbal, fresh flavor. Green chilis, which are usually small, thin, and long give the rice heat. Totally optional. (The kids are not a big fan!) I usually skip them and add a pinch of red chili flakes. My mom's original recipe had 8 green chilis. Tomatoes provide a good amount of liquid as well as acid to the dish

Lamb is delicious. It is used frequently in Muslim cooking. My mom always used lamb shoulder, a great cut of meat that is not crazy expensive. You can use boneless lamb as well, but the bone-in lamb adds another layer of flavor.

The khurma or gravy simmers for 20 minutes and then I add yogurt. This gives the dish a real creaminess and also helps to thicken it. After simmering again, I add coconut powder. Fresh coconut would be great, but I use what I have on hand, which is often dried unsweetened coconut flakes or fresh frozen coconut. All this time allows the lamb to simmer and cook well. It takes a good 40-50 minutes or more for the lamb to become tender and absorb all these great flavors. In the end, the khurma should be pretty thick, not quite a gravy consistency, but you also don’t want too much water either. Too much water will make the final biriyani too soggy. You are looking for the consistency of a stew.

While the khurma is simmering, you can get the rice ready. Basmati rice is a fragrant rice that comes from India. The rice is parboiled - or partially cooked. This helps the rice to cook later in the khurma without becoming mushy. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Rinse the basmati rice and boil for 4 minutes and then strain it in a colander. The rice should be cooked on the outside but still firm and crunchy on the inside.

Layering the rice over the khurma is the last step. It's very satisfying to have the khurma simmering away and then you add the parboiled rice in an even layer over it. Then I sprinkle lemon juice mixed with a little orange/red coloring over the rice, cover, and simmer over really low heat for 12-15 minutes until the rice is done. Sometimes around 10 minutes I’ll check the rice and give it one stir. It's ok if the coloring doesn't evenly coat the rice, biriyani doesn't have to be evenly colored. You want nice flavored rice with the onion and spices mixed in. A few good stirs to bring it all together is all it needs.

Serve it alone or with yogurt chutney or tomato chutney. Sometimes a little Indian pickle. So good for dinner!

Hyderabadi Lamb Biriyani

A fragrant rice dish layered with lamb and spices. Biriyani is a classic, typically made for special occasions, but who needs special occasions to enjoy great food?

Serves 8

• 2 1/2 pounds lamb, lamb shoulder or boneless lamb (cut into 3 inch pieces)
• 3/4 cup oil
• 2 1 inch pieces of cinnamon
• 6 cardamom pods
• 6 cloves
• 3-4 medium onions (very thinly sliced)
• 3 inch piece of ginger (minced)
• 6 cloves garlic (minced)
• 2/3 cup thick yogurt
• 3 tablespoons coconut powder
• 1 lemon, juiced
• pinch saffron

Parboiling the Rice

• 2 cups Basmati rice (rinsed)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2-3 quarts water

Kachaa Green Masala

• 2 green chilis - slit vertically
• 1/2 cup fresh mint (chopped)
• 1 cup cilantro (chopped)
• 3 medium tomatoes (chopped)
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 3 teaspoons salt

1. In a dutch oven or large stainless steel pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add the cardamon, cinnamon and cloves and saute for a minute. Add the onions and saute until soft. Give this a good 10 to 15 minutes. You want them to be soft and almost caramelized. Add the garlic and ginger paste, saute about 5 minutes. The onions and garlic will be golden and stick to the pan, and almost seem like its going to burn but this is ok.

2. Add all the katchaa green masala ingredients along with the lamb. Cook uncovered, stirring constantly until tomatoes are soft and mushy. Lower heat to med/low and simmer, occasionally stirring for 20 minutes. The lamb and tomatoes will release a good amount of liquid so you shouldn’t need to add any. But check occasionally and add 1/4 cup water if needed. You want the khurma to simmer and bubble gently.

3. Add the yogurt and cook for 20 minutes again at medium/low heat. Add the coconut powder and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. You can check that the meat is soft and tender.

4. Meanwhile, parboil the rice. In another large pot, bring 3 quarts of water to a boil with 2 teaspoons salt. Rinse basmati rice and add to the boiling water. Cook rice for 4 minutes. Drain in a colander.

5. In a small bowl, mix the lemon jucie and saffron.

6. Now add the basmatii rice to the simmering khurma in layers. Layer the rice gently over the khurma. No need to mix. Add the saffron lemon mixture and sprinkle over the rice.

7. Simmer over low heat. You can always peak and make sure there is a little bit of steam coming up into the rice, the classic “dum” part. Simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until rice is cooked. About 10 minutes in you can give the rice a few stirs. When its done give it a few stirs to help distribute the lamb and spices. It doesn’t have to be all even.

8. Serve with yogurt chutney or tomato chutney, or the best way - all by itself.