Mixed Special Biryani Recipe
Contains tree nuts. Punjabi-style biryani. Rice with chicken and lamb, cashews & raisins. Served with raita.
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Ingredients
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Biryani — Rice & Aromatics
Biryani — Meats & Marinade
Biryani — Gravy, Garnish & Assembly
Raita
Method
Biryani — Rice & Aromatics
- 1
Rinse and soak rice
Rinse 3 cups basmati rice under cold water until the water runs almost clear (removes surface starch). Place rice in a large bowl, cover with 6 cups of water, and soak for 30 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- 2
Prepare saffron
Warm 3 tablespoons of whole milk (or warm water) and add 10 saffron strands. Let steep 10–15 minutes to release color and aroma; set aside.
- 3
Parboil the rice
Bring 5 cups fresh water to a vigorous boil in a large pot. Add 1.5 tsp salt, 2 bay leaves, 6 cardamom pods, 6 cloves, 2 cinnamon sticks and 1 star anise. Drain the soaked rice and add to the boiling spiced water. Boil uncovered, stirring gently, until the rice is about 70–80% cooked (grains still have a slight bite) — about 6–8 minutes depending on rice age. Taste one grain to confirm. Drain the rice in a colander and set aside to drain thoroughly.
Biryani — Meats & Marinade
- 4
Marinate chicken and lamb
In a large bowl combine 1 cup plain yogurt, 3 tbs ginger-garlic paste, 1 tbs red chili powder, 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tbs coriander powder, 2 tsp garam masala, 1.5 tsp salt (for marinade), 2 tbs lemon juice and 2 tbs oil. Add 500 g chicken pieces and 400 g lamb cubes and coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (up to overnight for best flavor).
- 5
Cook the marinated meats
Heat 2 tablespoons oil and 1 tablespoon ghee in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add half of the sliced onions (about 1.5 cups) and sauté until they turn golden brown (not too dark) — about 6–8 minutes. Add 1 cup chopped tomatoes and 2 slit green chilies and cook until tomatoes soften (3–4 minutes). Add the marinated chicken and lamb to the pot, stirring to combine. Cook on medium heat until the meat browns slightly and the marinade reduces (~8–10 minutes). Add 400 ml water or stock, bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the meat is about 80% done and most liquid has reduced (chicken and lamb should be tender but not falling apart) — about 20–30 minutes. Adjust salt with 1 tsp additional salt if needed. Reduce heat and keep the meat layer ready for assembly.
Biryani — Gravy, Garnish & Assembly
- 6
Fry garnishes
In a small skillet, heat 1 tablespoon ghee over medium heat. Add 0.75 cup cashews and sauté until lightly golden, 1–2 minutes; remove and drain on paper towel. In the same skillet add 1 tablespoon ghee and 0.33 cup raisins; fry until plump, 30–45 seconds; remove and set aside. Reserve for layering and garnish.
- 7
Make birista (deep-fried onions)
In a wide frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons oil + 1 tablespoon ghee over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 1.5 cups thinly sliced onions in batches and fry, stirring often, until deep golden brown and crisp (this is birista) — about 10–12 minutes total. Watch carefully to avoid burning. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Reserve about half of the fried onions for layering and the rest for final garnish.
- 8
Layer the biryani (dum assembly)
Preheat oven to low (optional) or prepare for stovetop 'dum' on very low heat. In the pot with the cooked meat (if your pot is ovenproof you can assemble in the same pot; otherwise use a heavy ovenproof pot or Dutch oven), smooth the meat layer. Sprinkle one-third of chopped cilantro and mint over the meat. Gently layer the drained, parboiled rice evenly over the meat until rice covers the surface. Sprinkle half of the reserved fried onions, half of the fried cashews and raisins, and scatter another third of the chopped cilantro and mint. Drizzle the saffron-infused warm milk evenly over the rice, sprinkle 1 tsp rose water across the surface, and drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of ghee in small dots. Add the remaining rice layers if desired, repeating the garnish sequence so the top layer has fried onions, some cashews and raisins, and the remaining herbs.
- 9
Seal and cook on dum
Seal the pot tightly: cover with a tight-fitting lid and, if available, seal the edge with dough or wrap a clean kitchen towel between pot and lid to trap steam. Place a heat diffuser (tava) over low heat and set the pot on top, or place the pot in a preheated oven at 150°C (300°F). Cook on low 'dum' for 25–30 minutes (stovetop) or 25 minutes in the oven. This gentle steaming finishes the rice and infuses flavors. After cooking, turn off the heat and let the biryani rest, sealed, for 10 minutes.
- 10
Finish and serve
Open the pot carefully. Using a wide, flat spatula, gently lift and mix the layers once to distribute meat and rice without breaking grains. Transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with the remaining fried onions, reserved cashews and raisins, and additional chopped cilantro. Serve hot with prepared raita.
Raita
- 11
Prepare raita
In a bowl, whisk 2 cups plain yogurt until smooth. Fold in 1 cup grated cucumber (squeeze lightly if very wet), 1 tsp roasted cumin powder, 1 tsp salt (for raita), 0.25 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp sugar and 2 tbs finely chopped cilantro. Chill the raita for at least 15 minutes to let flavors meld. Taste and adjust salt or sugar before serving alongside biryani.
