Friday, November 14, 2014

Keema Biryani


Keema biryani, the fabulous street food of Mumbai, made with fragrant minced lamb or goat flavored in aromatic spices and then cooked with scented basmati rice in a dum preparation. Dum style of cooking requires assembling several layers of ingredients in a dish and then sealing it tightly to allow the flavors to develop as everything cooks in steam slowly at low heat. 
This is a great recipe for entertaining. Serve with a side of raita to cool the palate. If you have a have a high spice quotient then serve with Mirchi ka Salan for a full Hydrabadi experience. 

Ingredients:
2 cups basmati rice
1 1/2 lbs minced lamb (Keema)
3 large onions, sliced
A few strands of Saffron
Milk (warm): ¼ cup
Red Chili Powder to taste
1 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp coriander powder
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1/4 cup plain yogurt whipped
2 tomatoes crushed fine
oil
Salt to taste
2 tsp dry mint
Dry spices whole
1 " cinnamon stick
2 black cardamom
4-5 cloves
3-4 green cardamom
1/2 tsp black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
Prepare the rice
  1. Wash the rice thoroughly with few changes of water and soak it for at least 30 minutes. Cook the rice with some salt and 2 black cardamoms until it is just half done. Drain out the water and set aside. 
  2. Fry 2 sliced onions till golden brown and set aside.
  3. Mix the saffron in warm milk and set aside.
Prepare the minced meat or keema:
  1. Heat oil in a deep pan, add the whole spices and allow them to roast for a few seconds. Add the sliced onions and fry until it is translucent. 
  2. Mix in the minced meat, ginger-garlic paste and fry for 10 minutes over medium heat breaking the lamb while cooking. Cook till brown. 
  3. Once the lamb is fried to golden brown in color and leaves its aroma, add the tomato paste and whipped yogurt along with the red chili powder, coriander powder and cumin powder; continue to cook over low heat for another 10 minutes or till you see oil leaving the side of the pan. Turn off the flame and set aside.
Assemble the biryani for dum
  1. Prepare a bed of rice in any heavy bottom pan with a third of the cooked rice. Spread half the cooked meat over the rice along with the saffron milk, a few sprinkle of mint and some caramelized onions. repeat layers and finish off with the rest of the rice and the caramelized onions. 
  2. Seal the lid of the pan with dough so that the steam can not escape from it. Cook it in dum on slow heat for another 15 minutes or till done. Alternately place the pan in the oven at 350 for 30-40 minutes 
  3. Serve the hot biryani with raita.

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