Indo-Pak Subcontinent, Meats, Rice, Spicerie Boxes, Spicerie Mini Boxes

Beef Biriyani

Growing up, Beef Biriyani was a special occasion dish and took the entire day.  Rice and meat were prepared separately, layered in a huge container, and then set on low heat until it was time to eat.  Sometimes, when there were REALLY big gatherings, it was cooked outside over a fire in a container that you could fit an adult in!  Good times.  Now, you too can make this special occasion dish and it can be made any day of the week!  The Biriyani Mini Box is designed for a single serve cooking session and can feed a small gathering, or a family of four with leftovers for the next day.

You can add potatoes to the meat if you like or even make it meatless!

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Serves 8 when accompanied with a salad and yoghurt chutney.

Ingredients for Rice Layers:

  • 2.5 cups Basmati Rice rinsed until water runs clear and drained
  • 1 Jar Biriyani Rice (Biriyani Mini Box)
  • 1 tablespoon ghee or butter

Ingredients for Beef Layers:

  • Jar of Biriyani Meat Marinade (Biriyani Mini Box)
  • 2 lbs beef cubes cut into 1″ cubes
  • 1/4 cup yoghurt
  • Packet of Biriyani Meat Whole Spice Mix (Biriyani Mini Box)
  • 2 tablespoons ghee or butter
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 1/4 cup milk (or can substitute water)
  • 1/4 cup water, plus as needed – this needs be a thick, waterless gravy so add sparingly

Ingredients for Layering Biriyani:

  • Rice Mixture
  • Beef Mixture
  • 1 cup chopped coriander leaves
  • 1/2 cup fried red onions
  • 3 tablespoons melted ghee or butter

Kitchen Equipment:

  • Colander

Method:

  • In a non-metal bowl, marinate cubed beef in 1/4 cup yoghurt and add all the contents of the jar of Biriyani Meat Marinade.  Set aside for at least a half hour.
  • In a pasta pot on medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon ghee or butter and stir in all the contents of the jar of Biriyani Rice Spices.  Keep stirring until fragrant.
  • Add drained rice and stir until rice is coated with oil and spices.
  • Add enough water to cover the rice and cook it like pasta – no measurement needed as water will be drained.
  • Cook on high until rice is ‘al dente’ – not fully cooked., but not super hard – around 7-8 minutes
  • Carefully drain rice using colander and set aside
  • In a pot, melt 2 tablespoons of ghee or butter on medium and add all the contents of the packet of Biriyani Whole Spice Mix.  Stir until fragrant.
  • Add 2 tablespoons tomato paste and stir until it mixes with the spices.
  • Add marinated beef and stir.
  • Add milk and water and bring to a boil.
  • Cover and cook on low until meat is tender – around 25 minutes, depending on meat.
  • Check liquid and if not an extremely thick gravy, boil uncovered on medium high until a very thick gravy consistency is reached.  Keep stirring the bottom of the pot so there is no scorching.
  • In a very large pot, melt 1 tablespoon of ghee or butter on low.
  • Add enough rice to just coat the bottom of the pot.
  • Carefully layer half of the beef  mixture.
  • Carefully layer half of the rice mixture.
  • Sprinkle 1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves and 1/4 cup fried onions.
  • Repeat beef layer, rice layer, sprinkling.
  • Add remaining melted ghee over top.
  • Cover tightly (use aluminum foil of needed) and set on lowest heat setting for 10-15 minutes.
  • Serve with yoghurt sauce

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