Pakistani Lamb Biryani

Name: Pakistani Lamb Biryani
Total time: PT0D0H0M
Yield: serves 6
Ingredients: 1 cup canola oil; 3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced; 2 tbsp. garam masala; 1 tsp. crushed red chile flakes; 1 ⁄ 2 tsp. turmeric; 18 black peppercorns; 9 pods green cardamom; 3 pods black cardamom; 2 sticks (2") cinnamon; 6 cloves garlic, minced; 6 tomatoes, cored and minced; 5 serrano chiles, stemmed and minced; 1 (1 1/2") piece ginger, peeled and minced; 2 lb. trimmed lamb shoulder, cut into 2–3" pieces; Kosher salt, to taste; 1 ⁄ 2 cup plain yogurt; 3 ⁄ 4 cup roughly chopped mint leaves; 1 ⁄ 4 cup roughly chopped cilantro; 40 threads saffron, crushed (heaping 1/2 tsp.); 2 1 ⁄ 2 cups white basmati rice, soaked in cold water for 30 minutes, drained; 1 ⁄ 2 tsp. cumin seeds; 4 whole cloves; 2 dried bay leaves; Rose water or kewra essence (optional); Red/orange food color (optional)

Serves
serves 6

TODD COLEMAN

Ingredients

1 cup canola oil
3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
2 tbsp. garam masala
1 tsp. crushed red chile flakes
¹⁄₂ tsp. turmeric
18 black peppercorns
9 pods green cardamom
3 pods black cardamom
2 sticks (2") cinnamon
6 cloves garlic, minced
6 tomatoes, cored and minced
5 serrano chiles, stemmed and minced
1 (1 1/2") piece ginger, peeled and minced
2 lb. trimmed lamb shoulder, cut into 2–3" pieces
Kosher salt, to taste
¹⁄₂ cup plain yogurt
³⁄₄ cup roughly chopped mint leaves
¹⁄₄ cup roughly chopped cilantro
40 threads saffron, crushed (heaping 1/2 tsp.)
2 ¹⁄₂ cups white basmati rice, soaked in cold water for 30 minutes, drained
¹⁄₂ tsp. cumin seeds
4 whole cloves
2 dried bay leaves
Rose water or kewra essence (optional)
Red/orange food color (optional)

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This recipe comes from SAVEUR kitchen assistant Ambreen Hasan, a native of Karachi, Pakistan. We featured it as part of our "Queen of Spices" article (April 2010), an ode to the many ways in which cardamom is used.

Ingredients

1 cup canola oil
3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
2 tbsp. garam masala
1 tsp. crushed red chile flakes
¹⁄₂ tsp. turmeric
18 black peppercorns
9 pods green cardamom
3 pods black cardamom
2 sticks (2") cinnamon
6 cloves garlic, minced
6 tomatoes, cored and minced
5 serrano chiles, stemmed and minced
1 (1 1/2") piece ginger, peeled and minced
2 lb. trimmed lamb shoulder, cut into 2–3" pieces
Kosher salt, to taste
¹⁄₂ cup plain yogurt
³⁄₄ cup roughly chopped mint leaves
¹⁄₄ cup roughly chopped cilantro
40 threads saffron, crushed (heaping 1/2 tsp.)
2 ¹⁄₂ cups white basmati rice, soaked in cold water for 30 minutes, drained
¹⁄₂ tsp. cumin seeds
4 whole cloves
2 dried bay leaves
Rose water or kewra essence (optional)
Red/orange food color (optional)

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Instructions

Step 1

Heat ¼ 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.

Step 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, ½ cup mint, and 2 tbsp. cilantro; cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes more. Set aside.

Step 3

Put saffron into a bowl and cover with ½ 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.

Step 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.