Keema Biryani
Keema Biryani
Ingredients
For the Marination
- 500 g lamb mince
- 2 tablespoons ginger garlic, paste or minced
- 1 green chilli, chopped
- 1/2 cup mixed herbs, (mint and coriander)
- 1/2 cup yoghurt
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon chaat masala, (optional)
- to taste salt
For the Keema Curry
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup passata, or 2 chopped tomatoes
- 1/4 cup fried onion
- to taste salt
For the Rice
- 1 1/2 cups basmati rice
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 black cardamom
- 3-4 green cardamoms
- 3-4 cloves
- 1 teaspoon whole black pepper
- 1/4 lemon
For Assembly
- 1/4 teaspoon saffron strands
- 1/3 cup warm milk
- 2 tablespoons coriander, chopped
- 2 tablespoons mint, chopped
- 1/4 cup fried onion
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- as needed ghee
Instructions
- 1
Combine the lamb mince, ginger garlic paste, chopped green chilli, mixed herbs (mint and coriander), yoghurt, turmeric powder, Kashmiri chilli powder, coriander powder, roasted cumin powder, garam masala, chaat masala (if using), and salt to taste in a bowl. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well combined. Set aside to marinate for 30 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
While the keema marinates, wash and rinse the basmati rice a couple of times. Soak the rice in water for 15 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min
- 3
To make the Keema curry, heat 1 tablespoon of ghee in a pan over medium heat. Once the ghee is hot, add the sliced onion and cook until softened and lightly golden, about 5-7 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min
- 4
Add 1 tablespoon of minced ginger garlic to the pan and mix well, cooking for another minute until fragrant.
⏱️ 1 min
- 5
Add the marinated mince to the pan and mix well with the onions and ginger garlic. Break up any clumps of mince as it cooks.
⏱️ 3 min
- 6
Stir in the 1/4 cup of passata (or 2 chopped tomatoes) and 1/4 cup of fried onions. Let the keema curry cook for at least 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mince is cooked through and the sauce has thickened.
⏱️ 15 min
- 7
While the keema cooks, prepare the rice. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon of ghee, 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 black cardamom, 3-4 green cardamoms, 3-4 cloves, 1 teaspoon of whole black pepper, and 1/4 quarter lemon to the boiling water.
⏱️ 5 min
- 8
Drain the soaked basmati rice and add it to the boiling water with the spices. Cook until the rice is about 80% cooked, which should take approximately 5-7 minutes. The grains should be tender but still have a slight bite.
⏱️ 7 min
- 9
Strain the partially cooked rice and set it aside.
⏱️ 1 min
- 10
For assembly, prepare the saffron milk: Pound 1/4 teaspoon of saffron strands in a mortar and pestle. Gradually add 1/3 cup of warm milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, to the pounded saffron, mixing well to extract the color and flavor. Set the saffron milk aside.
⏱️ 3 min
- 11
To layer the biryani, choose an appropriate heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. Start by spreading a layer of the cooked keema at the bottom. Follow with some of the 1/4 cup fried onion, then a layer of the partially cooked rice.
⏱️ 3 min
- 12
Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of garam masala, 2 tablespoons of chopped coriander, and 2 tablespoons of chopped mint over the rice layer.
⏱️ 1 min
- 13
Repeat the layers, starting with fried onion, then keema, then rice, and then the herb and spice mixture, until all ingredients are used, ending with a rice layer on top.
⏱️ 3 min
- 14
Pour the prepared saffron milk evenly over the top layer of rice. Drizzle with a little extra ghee.
⏱️ 1 min
- 15
Cover the pot tightly with foil, then place the lid on top. This creates a seal for 'dum' cooking. Cook on very low heat for 20-25 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the rice to finish cooking through steam.
⏱️ 25 min
- 16
Once cooked, gently fluff the biryani with a fork before serving. Serve hot.
⏱️ 2 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Keema Biryani
For the Marination
- 500 g lamb mince
- 2 tablespoons ginger garlic, paste or minced
- 1 green chilli, chopped
- 1/2 cup mixed herbs, (mint and coriander)
- 1/2 cup yoghurt
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder
- 1 tablespoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon chaat masala, (optional)
- to taste salt
For the Keema Curry
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- 1 onion, sliced
- 1 tablespoon ginger garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup passata, or 2 chopped tomatoes
- 1/4 cup fried onion
- to taste salt
For the Rice
- 1 1/2 cups basmati rice
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 black cardamom
- 3-4 green cardamoms
- 3-4 cloves
- 1 teaspoon whole black pepper
- 1/4 lemon
For Assembly
- 1/4 teaspoon saffron strands
- 1/3 cup warm milk
- 2 tablespoons coriander, chopped
- 2 tablespoons mint, chopped
- 1/4 cup fried onion
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- as needed ghee
Instructions
- 1
Combine the lamb mince, ginger garlic paste, chopped green chilli, mixed herbs (mint and coriander), yoghurt, turmeric powder, Kashmiri chilli powder, coriander powder, roasted cumin powder, garam masala, chaat masala (if using), and salt to taste in a bowl. Mix thoroughly until all ingredients are well combined. Set aside to marinate for 30 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
While the keema marinates, wash and rinse the basmati rice a couple of times. Soak the rice in water for 15 minutes.
⏱️ 5 min - 3
To make the Keema curry, heat 1 tablespoon of ghee in a pan over medium heat. Once the ghee is hot, add the sliced onion and cook until softened and lightly golden, about 5-7 minutes.
⏱️ 7 min - 4
Add 1 tablespoon of minced ginger garlic to the pan and mix well, cooking for another minute until fragrant.
⏱️ 1 min - 5
Add the marinated mince to the pan and mix well with the onions and ginger garlic. Break up any clumps of mince as it cooks.
⏱️ 3 min - 6
Stir in the 1/4 cup of passata (or 2 chopped tomatoes) and 1/4 cup of fried onions. Let the keema curry cook for at least 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mince is cooked through and the sauce has thickened.
⏱️ 15 min - 7
While the keema cooks, prepare the rice. Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Add 1 tablespoon of ghee, 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 black cardamom, 3-4 green cardamoms, 3-4 cloves, 1 teaspoon of whole black pepper, and 1/4 quarter lemon to the boiling water.
⏱️ 5 min - 8
Drain the soaked basmati rice and add it to the boiling water with the spices. Cook until the rice is about 80% cooked, which should take approximately 5-7 minutes. The grains should be tender but still have a slight bite.
⏱️ 7 min - 9
Strain the partially cooked rice and set it aside.
⏱️ 1 min - 10
For assembly, prepare the saffron milk: Pound 1/4 teaspoon of saffron strands in a mortar and pestle. Gradually add 1/3 cup of warm milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, to the pounded saffron, mixing well to extract the color and flavor. Set the saffron milk aside.
⏱️ 3 min - 11
To layer the biryani, choose an appropriate heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. Start by spreading a layer of the cooked keema at the bottom. Follow with some of the 1/4 cup fried onion, then a layer of the partially cooked rice.
⏱️ 3 min - 12
Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of garam masala, 2 tablespoons of chopped coriander, and 2 tablespoons of chopped mint over the rice layer.
⏱️ 1 min - 13
Repeat the layers, starting with fried onion, then keema, then rice, and then the herb and spice mixture, until all ingredients are used, ending with a rice layer on top.
⏱️ 3 min - 14
Pour the prepared saffron milk evenly over the top layer of rice. Drizzle with a little extra ghee.
⏱️ 1 min - 15
Cover the pot tightly with foil, then place the lid on top. This creates a seal for 'dum' cooking. Cook on very low heat for 20-25 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and the rice to finish cooking through steam.
⏱️ 25 min - 16
Once cooked, gently fluff the biryani with a fork before serving. Serve hot.
⏱️ 2 min