Beef Biryani Stuffed Inside Basmati Rice
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Yield: About 8 servings
 
Ingredients
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 2 lbs (910 g) stewing beef (or an economical roast that has been trimmed of excess fat and cubed is fine because since the meat tenderizes as it cooks)
  • 6 large cloves garlic, crushed in a mortar and pestle or grated on a microplane
  • 1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated on a microplane
  • 6 tablespoons biryani paste
  • 1 cup (225 g) plain, low-fat yogurt
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1½ cups (355 ml) water
  • ½ cup (80 g) golden raisins (sultanas)
  • 2 jalapenos, halved, de-seeded, and minced (optional)
  • 2 medium-large onions, halved and thinly sliced
  • 3 medium-large green or red bell peppers, quartered, de-seeded, and thinly sliced
  • ½ teaspoon coarse salt
  • Basmati rice, for serving
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
  1. Add the oil to a lidded 5-quart pot over medium-high heat. Once hot, add half of the beef and cook in a single layer until browned on both sides, about 2 to 4 minutes (wait to flip each piece until the meat is seared on the first side). Transfer the browned meat to a bowl, then cook the remaining beef the same way.
  2. Add the beef back to the pot, and then add the garlic, ginger, and biryani paste; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the yogurt and bay leaf and cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
  3. Add the water and then cover the pot, bring it up to a boil, and turn it down to a simmer. Let it cook until the meat is almost fully tender, about 45 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding a splash more water as necessary if it looks too dry or starts to stick on the bottom.
  4. Stir in the raisins, jalapeno, onion, bell pepper, and salt. Cover the pot and cook over medium-low heat until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding a splash more water as necessary if it starts to stick on the bottom. (Alternatively, you can leave the lid ajar if the water isn’t evaporating fast enough, since the water should be evaporated by the time you’re done cooking.)
  5. Serve the beef biryani sauce on top of or stuffed inside basmati rice (see note below for instructions on how to stuff this inside rice), with the parsley sprinkled on top, if using.
Notes
To Serve Beef Biryani Stuffed Inside Basmati Rice: Brush the inside of a bowl with canola oil or lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray (the bowl should be about the size of a bowl you would eat your morning cereal out of – see picture below); lightly sprinkle turmeric inside the bowl if you want the rice to have a mixed yellow and white look. Press cooked basmati rice onto the bottom and up the sides of the bowl (see picture below), making sure to press hard enough so that the rice is packed. Add biryani sauce to fill the well in the center of the rice, then add rice to cover the biryani, again, making sure to firmly pack the rice. Turn the rice out on to a plate, carefully twisting the bowl off to remove it.
Recipe by An Edible Mosaic™ at https://www.anediblemosaic.com/beef-biryani-stuffed-inside-basmati-rice/