For company
Lamb biryani — the way Mama made it
There is a huge Indian community in South Africa, and I think there is a skill to making a good biryani. This is from BBC Good Food magazine, January 2018 — one of the recipes I have tried on my way to the biryani the way my grandmother used to make it.
I have tried various recipes to perfect this dish and get close to the way that Mama — that's what we called my gran — made it.
Method
- 01
Toss the lamb in a bowl with the garlic, ginger and a large pinch of salt. Marinate in the fridge overnight, or for at least a couple of hours.
- 02
Heat the oil in a casserole. Fry the lamb for 5–10 minutes until starting to brown.
- 03
Add the onion, cumin seeds and nigella seeds and cook for 5 minutes until starting to soften.
- 04
Stir in the Madras spice paste, then cook for 1 minute more.
- 05
Scatter in the rice and curry leaves, then pour over the stock and bring to the boil. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 180°C.
- 06
Stir in the paneer, spinach and some seasoning. Cover the dish with a tight layer of foil, then put the lid on to ensure it is well sealed.
- 07
Cook in the oven for 20 minutes, then leave to stand, covered, for 10 minutes.
- 08
Bring the dish to the table, remove the lid and foil, scatter with the coriander and chillies and serve with yoghurt on the side.
Keep cooking
