Briyani is one of our favourite rice dishes. I usually use lamb or goat for my briyani. Lately, I found that beef rump and chicken thighs work well with the same marinade and method. Beef Briyani is incredibly delicious - I love that richly spiced and wonderfully tender pieces of beef that go so well with the aromatic flavoursome rice. I am always excited when the lifting the cover of the pot after the cooking process - the sight of the steaming rice and the delicious aroma wafting from the pot is mouth-watering.

Video Link: https://youtu.be/wgmmFiYz-XA

INGREDIENTS

Beef & Marinade:

• 500 gm beef rump (remove fat and cut into bite size)

• 1 teaspoon salt

• ½ teaspoon baking powder

• ½ teaspoon black pepper powder

• 1 inch cinnamon stick

• 3 cloves

• 1 ½ teaspoon coriander powder

• 1/4 teaspoon cumin

• 2 Green cardamon pod

• 1 teaspoon ground chilli powder or sweet paprika (if you don't like it too hot)

• 1 tablespoon ginger (grated)

• 1 tablespoon garlic (grated)

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• 2 tablespoon vegetable oil

• 10-12 fresh mint leaves

• 6-7 fresh coriander leaves

• ¼ cup fried onion

• ½ cup yoghurt or milk

Rice:      

• 250 gm Basmati Rice (soak for 30 mins)

• 2 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Assembly:            

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

• Marinaded beef (as above)

• Parboiled rice (as above)

• 5-6 fresh mint leaves

• 5-6 fresh coriander leaves

• 2 tablespoon fried onions

• ½ cup water

• 1 teaspoon of turmeric (or saffron)

• 2 tablespoon vegetable oil

METHOD

1. Place all marinating ingredients in a bowl with the beef chunks and mix well. Cover and marinate beef meat for a couple of hours, preferably overnight. Stir the marinade from time to time to ensure even coating.2. When ready to cook, soak the Basmati rice in water for half an hour. Parboil the rice:

• Boil some water and add vegetable oil and salt.

• Add in the soaked rice and bring it to a boil.

• Once it starts to bubble, turn off heat and drain the parboiled rice.

3. Assemble the Briyani:

• Use a heavy base pot to avoid burning the food at the bottom. I use a clay pot and place it on a heat resistant plate.

• Coat the bottom of the pot with vegetable oil. Put marinated beef into the pot.

• Use a spatula to pat down the meat, ensuring that there are no gaps and the base is fully filled.

• Pour parboiled rice on top of the meat. Use the spatula to smooth down the rice.

• Add mint leaves, coriander leaves and fried onions. Then pour over oil and water. Sprinkle turmeric on top.

• Cover and cook on high heat for 10 mins. Reduce heat to very low and continue cooking 40 mins. (no peeking).

• Switch off the heat and leave for 5 mins before serving with cucumber raita*.  Enjoy!

* Cucumber raita

Mix together:

• 1/2 cucumber (finely chopped)

• 1/2 cup yoghurt

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 8-10 fresh mint leaves (finely shredded)