I’ve always been a little intimidated by Indian recipes. They often call for a long list of ingredients, including spices that aren’t available at my go-to grocery store. But then a friend offered to share some goat meat he picked up at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, and so I decided to conquer my fear.
As you can probably guess, I used the gift to make goat and lamb biryani. In the process, I experienced two firsts: working with chevon (and ghee) and preparing the Indian rice specialty. Well, I am happy to report the finished product was a success! In fact, I’m already contemplating what kind of biryani I’ll throw together next. Chicken? Prawn? Veggie?
This goat and lamb biryani is not only approachable, but also flavorful, filling and can feed a crowd! And the best part, in my opinion? The layer of crispy rice that forms on the bottom of the pot in the final stage of cooking.
Recipe adapted from BBC Food.
- 2½ cups basmati rice
- ½ cup ghee
- 3 bay leaves
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 3 onions, thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, smashed
- 1½" piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
- 2½ pounds boneless goat or lamb meat, cut into 1" pieces (see notes*)
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 2 teaspoons sea salt, plus more, to taste
- 1¾ cups plain yogurt
- ½ cup prunes, halved
- 3 serrano peppers, seeded and cut into thin matchsticks
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- chopped fresh cilantro (optional, for garnish)
- quick pickled red onions (optional, for garnish, see notes**)
- Rinse the rice in cold water until the water runs clear. Cover with cold water and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours. Drain well and set aside.
- In a large pot with a lid, heat all but 1 tablespoon ghee over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Add bay leaves, cinnamon sticks and peppercorns and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add onions, garlic and ginger and cook until caramelized, about 15 minutes.
- Add goat or lamb and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned all over, about 10 minutes.
- Add chili powder, turmeric, coriander, garam masala and salt and cook for 5 minutes.
- Add 1 cup water and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and let cool for 30 minutes; then stir in yogurt and prunes.
- Fill a medium pot with 4¼ cups water. Add rice and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Rinse with cold water and drain well.
- Wash pot used to cook the meat mixture and grease with remaining 1 tablespoon ghee. Spread one-third of the rice in the bottom of the pot. Spread half of the meat mixture over the rice. Sprinkle half of the serrano peppers over the meat mixture. Repeat once more, ending with rice. Place a damp towel over the rice and cover with lid.
- Cook over medium heat for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, uncover and season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Spoon biryani onto a large plate and garnish with cilantro and quick pickled red onions, if using.
**To make quick pickled red onions, peel and thinly slice 1 red onion and place in a small bowl. Add 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, ¼ teaspoon sugar and juice of 1 lime. Stir and very gently smash the onion pieces with a fork. Let sit at room temperature for 2 hours. Transfer to the refrigerator to chill until ready to use.
