Pakistani Beef Biryani
This hearty and comforting Pakistani beef biryani is made with tender beef, fragrant rice, and flavorful spices.
Servings 4 people
Ingredients
Biryani Masala
- 1/3 cup Oil
- 5-6 Whole Cloves (loung)
- 10 pods Green Cardamon (elaichi)
- 2-3 Cinnamon sticks (daar chini)
- 1/2 tsp Whole Black Pepper (kaali mirch)
- 2 tbsp Ginger garlic paste
- 1 kg Boneless Beef cubes
- 2 cups Water
- 1/2 pkt Special Bombay Biryani (Shan Mix)
- 1 tbsp Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1 piece Chicken cube
- 3 Potato cut in half (medium size)
For the Rice
- 3 cups Long grain Basmati Rice (soaked in water for 30 minutes)
- Water for boiling
- 3 tbsp Salt
- 1 tbsp Oil
For the Layer
- 1/2 cup Coriander leaves chopped
- 1/2 cup Mint leaves chopped
- 8 Whole Green Chilies stem off
- 5 pieces Dried Plum (alo bukhara)
- 3 Tomatoes cut in thin slices (medium size)
- 3/4 cup Fried Onion
- 1 tbsp Kewra Water
- 1 tsp Biryani essence
- 1 tsp Whole spice powder (garam masala powder)
- 2 tsp Orange Food color
- 1/3 cup Oil (for top of the rice layer)
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat oil on medium-high flame. Add whole cloves, green cardamom, cinnamon sticks, and whole black pepper, and saute until fragrant. Then, add ginger-garlic paste and saute for a minute or two until the raw smell disappears.
- Add boneless beef cubes to the pot and stir to saute. Pour in 3 cups of water, followed by Shan Bombay biryani mix, Kashmiri red chili powder, and a chicken cube. Mix the ingredients together and cook covered on low-medium flame for 1 hour. If the meat is not cooked yet, add another 1 cups of water and continue to cook.
- Meanwhile the beef is 70% cooked, Add the potatoes to the pot and cook until meat and potatoes are cooked. And some gravy is left. Then turn off the flame.
- In another large pot, add water and bring it to a boil. Add soaked long-grain Basmati rice, salt, and oil to the pot and cook for 6 minutes or until the rice is more than half-cooked. Strain the rice and set it aside.
- While the rice is cooking, in a separate bowl, add chopped coriander leaves, mint leaves, fried onions, dried plums, stem-off green chilies, and thinly sliced tomatoes. Toss the mixture well.
- For layering the biryani, add a layer of the mixed ingredients from step 5 on top of the beef curry in the pot. Increase the flame to high and sprinkle food color, garam masala powder, kewra water, and biryani essence on top.
- Add the par-boiled rice as the final layer and spread it evenly over the top of the other ingredients. Add 1/3 cup of oil on top of the rice.
- Cover the pot with a lid and cook on high flame for 5 minutes. Then, remove the lid and cook for 5 more minutes on high flame.
- Lower the flame to the lowest setting and cover the pot properly with foil or cloth for steam (dum) for 5-10 minutes.
- Once the biryani is ready, it is time for plating. Degi Biryani is not supposed to be mixed up once ready. Instead, start plating by taking out Masala rice from the bottom. Then, subsequently take out white rice, beef, and potato. Be gentle and try not to break the rice.
- Serve the Pakistani Beef Biryani hot and enjoy!