The word ‘biryani’ is derived from a Persian word, birian, which means fried before cooking. When making biryani, meat and/or vegetables and rice are cooked separately before being layered and cooked together.
1.5 kg stewing lamb with bones, cut into bite-sized pieces
Marinade
2 x 250 g creme fraiche or sour cream
30 ml crushed ginger or ginger paste
30 ml crushed garlic (optional)
Biryani Ingredients
10 ml olive oil
2 large onions, sliced thinly
10 ml turmeric
10 ml garam masala or curry powder
5 ml salt
15 ml lemon juice
100 g raisins
100 g cashew nuts, coarsely chopped
Rice
500 ml basmati rice
5 ml salt
- Combine the ingredients for the marinade in a bowl and mix well. Add the lamb and mix well.
- Add the lamb to the bowl and stir well to ensure that all the lamb pieces are covered in the marinade.
- Cover the mixing bowl with a lid or cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or for up to 12 hours.
- Combine the spices and the onions in a mixing bowl and mix well.
- Heat the oil in a large saucepan and stir-fry the onion mixture over a low heat.
- Add the lamb mixture to the saucepan and stir-fry for a further 5 to 10 minutes or until the lamb pieces are brown on the outside.
- Reduce the heat to a low setting, cover the pan with a lid and simmer until the lamb is tender – 30 to 40 minutes.
- Cook the basmati rice in a medium saucepan according to the instructions of the packet. Set it aside.
- Add the lemon juice, raisins and nuts to the lamb and mix well.
- Add the cooked rice to the meat mixture in the saucepan and mix well.
- Transfer the biryani to a serving dish and serve with vegetables.
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