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One-pot Hyderabadi Lamb Biryani (Gosht Biryani)

Our version of traditional Hyderabadi Biryani that is quick (maximum 1.5 hours), and only uses one pot! It also makes enough for dinner for 8, with leftovers for lunches.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 10 minutes
CourseDinner, Entree
CuisineHyderabadi, Indian, south indian
Keywordbasmati, Rice
Servings10 people

Equipment

  • pressure cooker

Ingredients

  • 3 lbs leg of lamb, chopped into 1-inch pieces and cooked along w/ bone
  • 4 cups chopped onions, finely chopped
  • 3 cups tomatoes, finely chopped
  • 1 cinnamon stick, broken into a few pieces
  • 1 star anise, broken into a few pieces
  • 5 tbsp ginger-garlic paste (homemade best, in 1:1 ratio)
  • 2 tbsp garam masala
  • 2.5 tsp coriander
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 5 tbsp ghee (or 5 tbsp of butter, nearly browned)
  • 2 tbsp salt
  • 2.5 cups basmati rice
  • 4 cups water

optional accompaniment:

  • raita or plain yogurt

Instructions

  • Prep: Take lamb out of the fridge to let it begin to come to room temperature. If you forgot to ask the butcher to chunk it (as I usually do, now's the time to chunk it up. Finely chop onions and tomatoes (by food processor, if you must). Prep spices divided in 2 small bowls: whole spices in one, and ground spices and salt in the other. Set a kettle of water to boil and keep aside.
  • Cook base: In a large pressure cooker*, melt the butter over medium heat, and when bubbling stops, add the onion, cinnamon stick and anise. Cook until the onions are golden brown, stirring frequently.
    Add ginger-garlic paste and fry for a minute or two, until fragrant, then add ground spices and fry for a minute, scraping up any browned bits.
    Add tomatoes, continuing to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pressure cooker pan. Cook until tomatoes start to break down and some water evaporates.
  • Cook lamb: Add lamb and cook a bit, mainly getting it covered in the onion/tomato/spices. Add 2 cups of water* and give it a stir to combine.
    Cover/lock pressure cooker and increase to high heat until it come up to pressure, then lower it without losing the pressure.  Cook for 6 minutes, then turn off the heat and quick-release the pressure.
  • Cook rice: When pressure is released, open the cooker, add 2 cups of boiling water, and give it a stir.  Then add the rice, but only stir it enough to barely get rice covered (not to get it to the bottom where it will stick.
    Cover/lock pressure cooker a second time, and increase heat to high until it come up to pressure, then lower it without losing the pressure.  Cook for 3 minutes, turn off the heat, and allow it pressure to release naturally (another 10 minutes or so).
    When it is time to open it, I hope it’s perfect like our was. Give it a gentle stir.  If any rice is stuck to the bottom it may need a tiny bit more water mainly to just scrape any tomatoes or rice that may be sticking to the bottom.

Notes

  • I don't have any relationship w/ Fagor but I do highly recommend their pressure cooker. I bought it five years ago after seeing it reviewed on Cooks Illustrated.  I’d also recommend the 8 quart size so that you can make big batches of things and freeze some.
  • I resisted the urge to brown the lamb (I again checked that no recipes that I consulted did so) and I’m finally satisfied that it’s not needed.  I have a mental note to look into browning of lamb vs beef, and browning in this sort of usage.  Will report back!
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