Lamb Biryani Recipe
Boneless lamb fragrant basmati | herbs and spices
Was this page helpful?
Help improve this recipe for others.
Send this recipe to your inbox.
We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.
Ingredients
Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Marinated Lamb
Rice & Aromatics
Biryani Base & Garnish
Spices for the Base
Finishing (Dum)
Method
Marinated Lamb
- 1
Combine and Marinate
In a large bowl combine yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder, ground coriander, turmeric, garam masala, 1.5 tsp salt, lemon juice, and 2 tbs oil. Add the lamb cubes and mix thoroughly so every piece is coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight for best flavor and tenderization.
Rice & Aromatics
- 2
Rinse and Soak Rice
Rinse 3 cups basmati rice under cold water until the water runs clear to remove surface starch. Soak the rinsed rice in 4 cups of water for 30 minutes, then drain.
- 3
Par-cook Rice
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 1.5 tsp salt, cardamom pods, cloves, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick. Add drained rice and cook until rice is about 70–75% done (grains slightly firm, about 6–8 minutes depending on rice). Drain rice in a sieve and set aside, discarding the whole spices or reserving for the pot if you prefer.
Biryani Base & Garnish
- 4
Caramelize Onions
Heat 2 tbs oil and 1 tbs butter/ghee in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add thinly sliced onions and cook, stirring often, until deep golden brown and caramelized, about 12–18 minutes. Remove half the onions for garnish and set aside.
- 5
Cook Lamb
To the pot with remaining caramelized onions, add cumin seeds and ground black pepper and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add marinated lamb (including any marinade) and increase heat to medium-high. Sear the lamb pieces for 4–6 minutes, stirring, until they begin to brown. Add chopped tomatoes, slit green chilies, chopped cilantro and mint, cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 25–30 minutes until lamb is tender and the sauce has thickened. If needed, add a few tablespoons of water to prevent sticking.
- 6
Adjust Seasoning
Taste the lamb mixture and adjust salt and spice (add up to 0.5 tsp more salt or 0.5 tsp garam masala if desired). The lamb should be fully cooked but not falling apart — it will finish cooking during the dum step.
Layering & Dum
- 7
Prepare Saffron Milk
Warm 3 tbs milk and crumble saffron threads into it. Let steep for 5 minutes to release color and aroma.
- 8
First Layer - Lamb
Reduce the lamb mixture to low heat so it forms an even layer on the bottom of the heavy-bottomed pot (if your pot is the same one used to cook the lamb, you can layer directly; otherwise transfer the lamb to the pot). Smooth the surface.
- 9
Second Layer - Rice
Evenly spread the par-cooked drained basmati rice over the lamb in an even layer.
- 10
- 11
Seal and Cook (Dum)
Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. For extra seal, wrap the lid in aluminum foil or a damp kitchen towel. Place the sealed pot over the lowest heat and cook for 25–30 minutes (or place on a heat diffuser/tawa and cook for 20–25 minutes) to allow flavors to meld and rice to finish cooking. Alternatively, preheat oven to 180°C (350°F) and bake the sealed pot for 20–25 minutes.
Finishing & Serve
- 12
Rest and Fluff
Turn off heat and let biryani rest, sealed, for 10 minutes to settle. Remove lid, gently fluff the rice with a fork from the edges to mix layers slightly without breaking grains.
- 13
Serve
Spoon biryani onto a large serving platter, making sure to scoop both rice and lamb layers. Garnish with additional chopped cilantro, reserved fried onions, and nuts. Serve hot with raita, salad, and pickles.
