Keema biryani step-by-step recipe with photos.
About this recipe
Keema is nothing but minced meat. Keema biryani or lamb mince biryani is a flavourful rice dish that is made with lamb mince and aromatic whole spices. The lamb biryani is prepared in three main steps – cooking the rice with whole spices, cooking the lamb mince gravy, and layering them all and slow cooking on steam or dum. It sounds complicated, but trust me it is not.
I have earlier shared the recipe for making vegetable biryani. The process is similar, with subtle changes.
There are two pressure points in the cooking process – taking care the rice doesn’t overcook while boiling and taking care the onion is golden and caramelised but not burnt. The texture of rice must be just done but still have a good bite to it (similar to al dente in pasta). The onions take time to get golden brown but can burn in seconds once it reaches that stage. So it is important to keep an eye on it and take care not to burn it. Also, it is important to use a thick bottom pot with a tight-fitting lid for cooking the biriyani.
Cooking the biryani on dum makes this dish very aromatic and flavourful.
Step by step instructions
1. Cook rice with whole spices and spread on a wide plate
2. Heat ghee and saute whole spices
3. Fry onion, ginger, garlic, and spice powders
4. Add the lamb mince and fry for a few minutes
5. Add yogurt, water, and cook
6. Add peas and cook completely
7. Spread half the lamb gravy in a thick bottom pan
8. Spread half the rice on top
9. Spread coriander leaves, mint leaves, and saffron-infused milk
10. Spread remaining lamb
11. Spread remaining rice
12. Seal completely and simmer on 'dum'
13. Biryani is ready after 'dum'
14. Mix the biryani gently
Recipe card
Keema biryani
Ingredients
FOR THE RICE:
- 3 cups basmati rice
- 4-5 green cardamom
- 1 black cardamom
- 4-5 cloves
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 2-3 bay leaf
- 6-7 cups water
- Salt to taste
FOR THE GRAVY:
- 500 grams lamb mince keema
- ½ cup peas
- 1 large onion thinly sliced
- 2 inch ginger grated or 1 tbsp ginger paste
- 2-3 cloves garlic grated or ½ tbsp garlic paste
- 3 tbsp ghee
- 1 tsp black cumin shahi jeera
- 2-3 cloves
- 4 green cardamom
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 2-3 bay leaf
- 1 cup yogurt whisked
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp red chilli powder or as per taste
- Salt to taste
TO ASSEMBLE:
- ½ cup coriander leaves chopped
- ½ cup mint leaves chopped
- 2-3 tbsp milk
- A few strands saffron
Instructions
TO MAKE THE RICE:
- Wash the rice thoroughly and soak in water for 30 minutes
- In a large saucepan, pour water and add the whole spices and salt. Bring to a boil
- Once the rice is soaked, drain all the water. Add the drained rice to boiling water
- Let the rice cook on high flame. Once the rice is almost cooked but still has a nice bite to it, turn off the heat and drain on a muslin cloth
- Spread the rice on a wide plate and set aside. Take care not to cook the rice completely at this stage
TO MAKE THE GRAVY:
- In a fry pan or kadhai, heat ghee. Add whole spices and fry for a few seconds until it is aromatic
- Add onions and fry until golden brown. Take care the onion becomes golden and crispy but doesn’t burn
- Add ginger, garlic and fry for few more minutes until the raw smell goes off
- Add salt, turmeric and chilli powder and mix well
- Add lamb mince and saute for 1-2 minutes
- Add whisked yogurt and ¾ cup warm water. Mix well
- Cover and cook on medium flame until the lamb is almost cooked
- Add peas and mix well. Cook until
- Remove the cover and increase the flame to dry out any excess moisture
TO ASSEMBLE:
- Soak the saffron strands in warm milk for a few minutes
- Take a thick bottom pan and smear the bottom with some ghee.
- Add half the lamb gravy and spread
- Add half of the rice on top and spread evenly
- Add the saffron milk, coriander leaves, and mint leaves
- Add remaining lamb gravy on top and spread evenly. Add the rest of the rice
- Put the lid on and seal the with aluminum foil
- Heat a griddle/tava on medium flame. Once it is hot enough, place the biriyani pot on top of the tava and reduce the flame to the lowest setting
- Let the biriyani cook on low flame for 20-25 minutes
- Turn off the heat. Serve hot
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