So far, the best Lamb Biriani I have ever tasted was at a friend's house when they invited my husband and I for a birthday party. They gave us some leftover to bring home for our son, he just loved it, and kept on asking me to make it. Since I haven't had any chance to get the recipe, I made it using ingredients listed from this two cookbooks: Charmaine Solomon's Encyclopedia of Asian Food, and Madhur Jaffrey's Curry to kebab cookbook. But, I reduced, changed, omitted, and added the ingredients to suit my own taste. The end result was pretty delicious and fragrant dish, it was close enough to the one that my friend made.

Lamb Biriani (Lamb Biryani)
Serve 12

The Lamb Curry

Marinate Ingredients:

5 cloves garlic, peeled-chopped

2 slices peeled fresh ginger, about ¼ inch thick per slice, or use less if you don't want it too gingery

5 whole cardamoms

5 whole cloves

1 stick cinnamon

1 cup plain yogurt

3½ to 4 lbs lamb shoulder with some bone, cut into big chunks
salt to taste

• Place chopped garlic and ginger in a mortar and pestle, crush into fine paste, transfer into a large bowl where you are going to marinate the lamb. Add the rest of ingredients including the lamb, season with salt, mix well. Cover the bowl with cling plastic wrap, let the lamb marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

The Curry:

2 onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, sliced

2 tsp cayenne powder (I like it spicy, you can use less, or completely omit it)

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 tbs ground cumin

8 medium size tomatoes, chopped (I used juice, ripe in the vine type of tomatoes)

1 whole star anise
2 - 3 tbs canola oil
salt, if needed
The marinated lamb

• In a large pot, fry chopped onion with canola oil over medium heat until soft, add garlic, fry another minute. Add the rest of ingredients, stir for a few second to release the aroma of the spices. Add marinated lamb including the marinate. Cover the pot, then turn the heat to low, continue to cook until lamb is tender, about 2 to 3 hours, check and stir from time to time. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

The Rice
4 cups basmati rice
1 large onion, chopped
2 tbs canola oil, or butter, or combination of both
2 cardamoms
1 star anise
1 small cinnamon stick
1 tsp saffron strand (or as much or as little as like it)
4 tbs rose water
6½ cups water
salt and pepper to taste

• Wash the rice in several changes of water, drain, then soak in a clean water for 30 minutes - drain.


• Toast the saffron in a small pan over low heat, stirring continuously for a few seconds. Transfer the saffron into small bowl, crush into powder using the back of a spoon, add about 2 tablespoon hot water, stir until to dissolve. Set aside.


• Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat, add chopped onion and fry until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the drained rice, cardamoms and star anise, cinnamon stick, stir for couple of minutes to coat the rice. Add saffron water, rose water, and 6½ cups water, season with salt and pepper, stir well. Cover the pot with its lid, turn the heat to low, and cook the rice until fully cook and fluffy.

To Serve
fried crispy shallots (store bought from Asian Market)
raisins or sultanas
fried cashew nuts
butter or oil to coat a (9x13-inch) ceramic dish

• Brush a 9x13-inch oven proof ceramic dish with butter or oil, place half of the rice to cover the bottom of the dish, add all of the lamb curry, cover with the rest of the rice. Cover the dish with aluminum foil, crumple it tightly. Bake in the preheated 350⁰F for 20 minutes. Mix before serving, garnish with crispy shallots, raisins or sultanas, and cashew nuts.