Ground Meat Biryani With Cumin Raita
Biryani is not typically made with ground meat, but it works well for this dish. Don't be intimidated by the long list of ingredients-it's mostly a collection of spices, and there is very little chopping required, making this a great weeknight option. I urge you to use Kashmiri chile powder if you can, as it has a gentler heat and a fruitier flavor than cayenne. Garam masala can sometimes contain a lot of chile, so taste it and adjust the amount of chile powder accordingly. You can always add more later. This dish is delicious served with a side of peas, green beans, or broccoli, and naan is always a welcome addition to the meal. Adapted from NYT Cooking.
Yield 4 servings
Ingredients
Raita:
1 cup whole milk yogurt
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried mint
Biryani:
1 1/2 cup basmati rice
8 cardamom pods
1 cinnamon stick
4 whole cloves
2 cups vegetable or chicken stock (plus more as needed)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper +
4 tablespoons unsalted butter or ghee
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced onion
1 tablespoon tomato paste
4 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
3 teaspoons garam masala
3/4 teaspoon ground Kashmiri chile powder (can substitute with half as much of cayenne)
1/2 teaspoon ground fennel
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 star anise
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 pound ground bison, beef or lamb
1/4 cup whole milk yogurt
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
| 1 | Make raita: In a small bowl, whisk yogurt and milk together. Add remaining ingredients and whisk to blend. Set aside. (Can be made ahead and refrigerated, but serve at room temperature.) |
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| 2 | Make biryani: In a large braising pan or Dutch oven with a cover, combine rice, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, broth, and 1/2 teaspoon salt over medium-high heat; cover and bring to a boil. Once it boils, reduce heat to low and cook for 10 minutes. (Check periodically to make sure it is not drying out. Add a bit more stock or water if needed.) |
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| 3 | Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons of the butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium. Add onion, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, until fragrant and well blended, 2 minutes. |
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| 4 | Push onion mixture to one side of the skillet and melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter in the empty side. To the melted butter, add garlic, ginger, garam masala, chile powder, fennel, turmeric, star anise and 1/4 teaspoon of the cumin; stir until well blended, 30 seconds. Mix the spices into the onion mixture until well combined. |
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| 5 | Add meat and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring and breaking up meat into small pieces, until no longer pink, about 3 minutes (it will finish cooking with rice). Taste and adjust seasonings, adding more salt or chile powder if needed. Turn off heat and stir in 1/4 cup yogurt until well incorporated. |
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| 6 | Drizzle milk evenly over the rice, and add a bit more stock or water if you feel it is too dry. It will get some moisture from the meat mixture. Add the meat mixture on top in an even layer. Scatter over half of the cilantro, cover and cook until the meat is tender and the rice is cooked through, 10-12 minutes longer. |
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| 7 | Gently fluff the rice with a fork, poking under the meat layer and gently stirring side-to-side, keeping the meat layer mostly intact. Discard star anise and any other visible whole spices, and let your diners know they may encounter a pod or two. Garnish with the remaining cilantro. Serve immediately, encouraging your guests to generously drizzle the raita over the biryani. |
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