Beef Biryani with Mint Raita

Ingredients

• 1 kg Beef brisket, chops, or rump meat (The source recommends using more brisket because it produces a flavorful yakhni; a mixture of cuts may be used.)
• 750 g Rice (Wash and soak before cooking.)
• 750 g Onions for yakhni (Chopped. The source also describes this as approximately one large onion, which conflicts with the stated weight; use the stated 750 g quantity.)
• Garlic for yakhni (Crushed; amount not specified in the source.)
• Cumin seeds (Add to the muslin spice pouch; amount not specified.)
• Whole coriander seeds (Add to the muslin spice pouch; amount not specified.)
• Cloves (Whole spice; place in the muslin pouch or add separately. Amount not specified.)
• Cinnamon (Whole spice; place in the muslin pouch or add separately. Amount not specified.)
• Green cardamom (Whole spice; place in the muslin pouch or add separately. Amount not specified.)
• Black peppercorns (Whole spice; place in the muslin pouch or add separately. Amount not specified.)
• Salt for yakhni and rice (Add to taste.)
• Cooking oil (For sautéing the onions and frying the masala; amount not specified.)
• Onions for masala (Chopped and lightly browned; the source does not specify whether these are additional onions or the previously listed onions.)
• Garlic for masala (Crushed; amount not specified.)
• Green cardamom for masala (Crushed; amount not specified.)
• Bay leaves (Amount not specified.)
• 2 tsp Sugar (Optional; add to the yakhni during dum for slight sweetness.)
• Plain yogurt (For the raita; amount not specified.)
• Fresh mint (Blend into the yogurt; amount not specified.)
• Green chilies (Blend into the raita; amount not specified.)
• Garlic for raita (Blend into the yogurt; amount not specified.)
• Roasted cumin, ground (Amount not specified.)
• Black pepper for raita (Ground; amount not specified.)
• Salt for raita (Add to taste.)

Steps

1. 1

   Place the beef in a large pot. Add the chopped onions, crushed garlic, cumin, whole coriander, cloves, cinnamon, green cardamom, black pepper, and salt. If you prefer not to eat whole spices, tie them in a small muslin-cloth pouch before adding them.

2. 2

   Add enough water to cover the meat generously. Bring the mixture to a boil, then cook until the beef is tender and a flavorful stock has formed. Continue reducing as needed so that, after straining, there will be enough yakhni to cook the rice without leaving the biryani watery.

3. 3

   Strain the yakhni into a separate vessel and reserve both the liquid and the cooked meat. Keep the yakhni hot or reheat it before adding it to the rice.

4. 4

   Wash the rice thoroughly and soak it before beginning the final cooking stage. Drain it when ready to use.

5. 5

   Heat oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Add the chopped onions and sauté until they are lightly browned. Do not brown them deeply; they should be pale golden rather than dark.

6. 6

   Add the crushed garlic and crushed green cardamom to the onions. Cook briefly until fragrant, taking care not to burn the garlic.

7. 7

   Season the masala with salt. Add the remaining whole spices, including cumin and bay leaves, and fry the mixture briefly until aromatic.

8. 8

   Add the reserved cooked beef to the fried masala. Toss and lightly fry the meat so it becomes coated with the spices and develops additional flavor.

9. 9

   Add the drained soaked rice and pour in the reserved meat yakhni. Stir gently so the rice, meat, and stock are evenly distributed without breaking the rice grains.

10. 10

    Bring the liquid to a full boil. Cook until the rice is nearly done but still slightly firm in the center. The grains should be mostly tender but retain a small bite.

11. 11

    If desired, stir two teaspoons of sugar into the yakhni while the biryani is finishing; this gives the rice a very slight sweetness.

12. 12

    Cover the pot tightly, reduce the heat to very low, and cook on dum until the rice is completely tender and has absorbed the yakhni, about 15–20 minutes. Let it rest covered for 5 minutes before fluffing gently.

13. 13

    For the raita, blend the mint, green chilies, and garlic with the yogurt until combined. Stir in ground roasted cumin, black pepper, and salt to taste.

14. 14

    Serve the hot beef biryani with the mint raita.

Notes

The source also contains a separate nihari discussion, but this extraction focuses on the biryani recipe that appears first. Spice and liquid quantities are often left to judgment in the source. The stated 750 g of onions for the yakhni conflicts with the description of approximately one large onion; the explicit weight was retained.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• beef
• biryani
• rice dish
• South Asian
• stovetop
• dum-cooked
• spiced