Indian Lamb Biryani is a casserole of tender lamb curry and fragrant saffron rice. Two outstanding dishes combined into one company worthy casserole. Serve with cooling cucumber raita on the side.
I had a very biryani week. Biryani is an Indian curry and rice casserole that I’ve been hearing about, thinking about, maybe even dreaming about – for a long time. Finally, this past week, I immersed myself in it. It started when I was invited by a friend to take a cooking class at Whole Foods and I got to choose the dish we cooked. I picked biryani. We learned to make a very tasty, quick biryani with boneless chicken and precooked rice.
After that I came home and pulled every international cookbook and Indian cookbook off my shelves… I scoured the internet….and the cooking began. My (poor? lucky?) family had Biryani for dinner three nights in a row – lamb, chicken, lamb. The lamb biryani was the unanimous winner. This is definitely not of the “quick and easy” genre of recipes, but it’s SO worth the effort!
This lamb biryani recipe consists of two distinct dishes – succulent lamb curry and aromatic rice. Each component is delicious in its own right, and then the two are layered together in a casserole and baked.
Saffron is one of the key flavors in Indian Lamb Biryani. It’s a beautiful, aromatic spice, that consists of the delicate stigmas of a crocus flower. It’s a very popular spice in Indian cuisine. In this dish, saffron is used to infuse the rice with a beautiful yellow-orange color and that unique and exotic saffron flavor that words can’t describe. (Some say it tastes like a combination of honey and straw, but I don’t think that description does it justice.)
Saffron is one of the world’s most expensive spices but luckily it only takes a little bit to flavor the whole dish.
This Indian Lamb Biryani is packed with deep and exciting flavors and a good amount of heat. It’s definitely dinner-party worthy!
I think it’s important to serve Indian Lamb Biryani with a cooling, creamy, cucumber-mint raita to complement the heat of the dish. Your palate will thank you!
More Delicious Indian Recipes
• Saag Aloo: Indian Spinach and Potatoes
• Chicken Tikka Masala
• White Chicken Korma
Here’s the recipe for Indian Lamb Biryani. If you try this recipe, I hope you’ll come back to leave a comment and let me know what you think.
INDIAN LAMB BIRYANI
Sumptuous casserole of tender lamb curry with saffron spiced rice with cucumber-mint raita on the side.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 30 mins
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 2 hours 30 mins
- Yield: 6-8
- Category: Main Course - Dinner
- Method: stove top, oven
- Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients
- 2 pounds boneless leg of lamb, fat trimmed off, cut into 1-inch cubes
- MARINADE INGREDIENTS for the lamb:
- 5 tablespoons peeled and roughly chopped fresh ginger root (5-inch by 2 inch piece or something comparable.)
- 6-7 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped (about 3 tablespoons)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- A few grinds of fresh ground black pepper
- SOAKING THE RICE Ingredients:
- 2 cups basmati rice (Indian is best)
- CURRY SAUCE Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 medium red or yellow onions, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
- 2 15-ounce cans tomato sauce
- 1/4 to 3/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper (depending on how hot you like it)
- 1 tablespoon paprika (sweet, not hot)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- Ingredients for PRE-COOKING THE RICE
- 2 tablespoons ghee or butter
- 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
- 4 cardamom pods
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 red onion, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon (heaping) of saffron threads (about 1 gram or .04 ounces)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- CUCUMBER RIATA
- 2 cups plain yogurt
- 1 cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeds scraped out with a spoon, and grated or finely chopped.
- 1/2 cup chopped mint leaves (plus some for garnish, if you like)
- 1 garlic clove, pressed or finely minced
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted in a dry pan over high heat for a few seconds, until fragrant (if you’re short on time, you can use 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- MARINATE THE LAMB: Put the chopped ginger and garlic into the bowl of a food processor and pulse a couple of times. Scrape down the sides. Add 3-4 tablespoons of water. Pulse until you get a paste, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. (If you do this in your blender, add the water right away – expect lots of scraping down the sides) In a medium sized bowl mix the lamb with the garlic-ginger paste, salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for a half hour or so. (more is fine)
- RINSE and SOAK the RICE: Put rice in a large bowl. Fill the bowl halfway with cold water. Swish rice around for a few seconds and pour off the cloudy water. Repeat 3 or 4 times, until the water is fairly clear. Cover rice with cold water by 2 inches and set it aside to soften for an hour. Drain.
- START THE SAUCE: While the lamb is marinating and the rice is soaking, start the sauce. In a large heavy pot or a deep skillet with a cover, heat the 3 tablespoons of oil over medium high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are nicely browned and caramelized – about 15 minutes. Regulate the heat so they don’t burn. Sprinkle them with a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Transfer them to a large plate or bowl and set aside. (no need to clean the pot yet – keep it out to brown the lamb)
- Mix the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl: tomato sauce, cayenne, paprika, salt, turmeric and garam masala. Set aside while you brown the lamb.
- BROWN THE LAMB: In the pot you used for the onions, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium high heat. Add half the lamb with its garlic-ginger coating, and cook for about 5 minutes, tossing occasionally, until the pieces are browned on all sides. Transfer to the plate with the onions. Brown the rest of the lamb, adding more oil, if necessary. Once the second batch of lamb is browned, return the other lamb and the onions back to the pot. Pour in the sauce. Stir, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to release the browned bits of lamb into the sauce. Bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 25-30 minutes, until the lamb is nice and tender. Remove from the heat.
- PRECOOK THE RICE: While the lamb is simmering, heat 2 tablespoons of ghee or butter in a medium sized saucepan. Add the spices: cumin seeds, cardamom pods, bay leaves, and cinnamon sticks. Cook until they sizzle a bit and you can smell the cumin toasting – about 30 seconds. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, for 3-4 minutes, until it starts to brown. Add the saffron and cook stirring, for about 30 seconds, until the saffron releases its color and aroma. Add the drained rice and toss to coat. Pour in 2 cups cold water and 2 teaspoons salt. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil. Lower to a simmer and cook for 5-6 minutes, uncovered – until all the water has evaporated. Remove from the heat.
- ASSEMBLE THE BIRYANI for baking Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spread half the lamb curry in the bottom of a medium-sized casserole dish. Cover with half the rice. Repeat the layers. Cover the casserole with the lid or with a double layer of foil. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Serve with cucumber raita (see below)
- CUCUMBER RAITA: Combine all the ingredients. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
- *Note: The bay leaves, cinnamon sticks and cardamom pods are not meant to be eaten. Remove them or tell people to be on the lookout for them.
Keywords: Lamb, Biryani, Casserole
This looks amazing. Deb and I are big Indian food fans. I have my Sunday night meal now. Can’t wait.
Eddie and I love Indian food, too. Happy eating to you and Deb!
Oh, I love biryani and especially lamb and this looks like a great recipe – was just wondering what to have for dinner tonight and I think you have solved the problem:)
Glad to help, Rachel 🙂
ohhhhh i love Lamb Biryani. It’s the rice. And the sauce. And maybe the lamb. I don’t know if I will attempt to make this at home but I love reading the recipe to appreciate what goes into make such a beautiful dish.
Some fun artsy photos. I like them. I also like the recipe. I live about 2 hrs away from an Indian restaurant. I am in craving mode big time. Good thing I am spending the weekend in Seattle in about 10 days AND my friends were groovin’ with having Indian food too. Your post just whets my appetite.
This is absolutely stunning! My husband and I love lamb – definitely going to try this recipe…love all of those spices.
Deb and I had this last night. Incredible!!!!!!!!!!!!
I made this biryani for my family this evening. It came out absolutely delicious. This is easily my favorite biryani recipe yet. Even the raita came out great. My family says “restaurant quality, dad…restaurant quality”.
Thanks for putting this recipe together. It is a winner for sure.
★★★★★
Thanks for your comment Dave! I’m so glad you and your family enjoyed the Biryani. It’s one of our family favorites! My son Paul requests it all the time.
Hi LISA WHAT WILL IT COST TO MAKE LAMB BIRYANI FOR A FAMILY OF 6 I’M GOING TO TRY IT WHILST MY WIFE IS AT WORK THE ONLY REASON I’M ASKING BECAUSE I’M UNEMPLOYED
Lamb, if you go to a butcher shop will cost you about 10/11 dollars per pound. But if you are lucky enough to have a halal butcher in your area it is much cheaper. The other ingredients can be quite expensive. But if you go to a fredmeyers Wal-Mart winco etc stores they have bulk spices making it much cheaper
I have had this and it is probably my favorite recipe.
★★★★★
Awesome recipe – not too hard, yet absolutel delicious. The only minus is that it always takes me three hours to make, otherwise I’d eat it all the time
This is one of my favorite Indian dishes – your recipe looks fantastic!
Took my 11 year old nephew to the local spice shop to get all the spices and to the market for all the groceries. The lamb is marinating in the fridge marinating. He is psyched out of his mind to cook and eat this tomorrow!! Thanks much!!
How fun to shop for spices and ingredients with your nephew and then cook together. Is he a budding chef? I hope you all enjoyed a scrumptious dinner!
Hi do I put tomato sauce or tomato paste.
I use to love Biryani soo much before but after my marriage every gathering I went to served Biryani and got so bored eating it but now after reading ur blog I am craving for it again…
I’m glad to hear that! I hope you’ll cook it and enjoy!!
I tried this recipe recently and, frankly, I was disappointed. Not because of the individual recipes and instructions for the lamb curry and the basmati rice were less than excellent, but because they each for my tastes tasted better separately than combined. Separately both the curry and the rice were fabulous. The curry had a deep, complex flavor and a long finish, something that I always look for in a curry. And the rice was aromatic like a good basmati rice should be with all the grains fluffy and separate, plus the added complexity of the spices.
But together I thought that the whole was less than the sum of its parts. Layering and baking the two ingredients seemed to dry them out, particularly the rice, (perhaps I baked them too long, although I don’t remember baking them for more than 35 minutes). But the flavors, which were rich and distinctive separately, seemed to become less vibrant and more subdued. And I thought that the combined dish looked dull when compared with the separate bright red of the curry and the contrast between the curry and the white of the rice. Oh well, I’m looking forward to making the recipe again but this time I’ll have the curry and the rice separately. I would be curious if anyone who has tried it also preferred the ingredients separately.
And I also thought that the texture of the cucumber raita was too thick, at least when compared with the raitas that I have in Indian restaurants. But perhaps, since the flavor was very good, it’s just that I prefer what I am used to rather than what’s more authentic. I tried thinning it with some milk but it was still too thick for my taste. But, like I said, that’s just a personal preference.
Thanks very much for the recipe. I can’t wait to serve the individual components to an Indian friend of mine and see what she thinks.
★★★★
Ed, I so appreciate the time and thoughtfulness you put into this review. I’m sorry you were disappointed in the dish as a whole but I’m happy you enjoyed the individual components. I’m thrilled that you’re going to make it again and share it with your Indian friend. I hope you stick with the recipe and find your own favorite way to enjoy it. And I hope you’ll keep me posted if you try any other Panning The Globe recipes.
I love how you lay out all of the steps to making this somewhat complex dish I am looking forward to
making it soon. I am also so glad that I came across your site. I really enjoy foods from around the world.
Thanks
★★★★★
Amazing recipe. Limited the amount Cayenne pepper to about the minimum, and it is was enough for the kids to feel and enjoy the chilli-ness.
Only one change. The effectiveness of a marinade is often improved by adding something acidic (e.g. yoghurt, lemon…). I added a good splash (about 1/4 of a cup) of cider vinegar to the marinade. Great result for a bit more tanguiness and sweetness.
★★★★★
I’m so glad you enjoyed the Biryani, and thanks for the tips about the marinade – I’ll give it a try with cider vinegar next time!
I made this dish for a dinner party and it came out absolutely delicious! Everyone loved it! It had a balance of flavors and the lamb was tender. Definitely keeping this on my recipe list.
★★★★★
Just made this today. Its so delicious! I made it with lamb shank, cooking it with pressure cooker in the curry sauce for about 1 hour (until the meat fall apart). Pulled the meat out, mix in sauce before putting in oven with the rest of the ingredients. Perfect recipe! Thank you, I really enjoy it.
Just made this today. Its so delicious! I made it with lamb shank, cooking it with pressure cooker in the curry sauce for about 1 hour (until the meat fall apart). Pulled the meat out, mix in sauce before putting in oven with the rest of the ingredients. Perfect recipe! Thank you, I really enjoy it.
★★★★★
I tried this recipe I loved the flavours. It tasted just like briyani i remember from back home Durban, South Africa. I over cooked the rice thou 🙈. Overall my friends & I loved it will be making it again.
You didn’t specify adding water to the sauce which the lamb simmers in and eventually is layered with the rice. How much water should we add to the sauce which will eventually soften the rice? I am cooking it now and the fragrances are amazing. Lovely recipe. Thanx
Look at the part of the recipe that says “precook the rice.” You add 2 cups of water and cook the rice partially. Then you layer the partially cooked rice with the lamb curry and tightly cover the casserole and bake it. The moisture of the curry sauce and the heat of the oven will cook the rice the rest of the way. I hope your biryani turned out well for you! Lisa
Hi, is it is possible to make this with leftover roast leg of lamb? Or does the lamb need to be cooked raw after marinating? Thanks!!
Hi Andrew, I looked back over the recipe to see if I could figure out how to suggest adapting it with cooked lamb. If your leg of lamb is really rare, you could still marinate it per the recipe, and brown it briefly and then proceed with the recipe as is. I think that would work well. If the lamb is cooked medium or well, don’t bother marinating it. Make the spice paste for the marinade and then where it says “BROWN THE LAMB,” – instead, brown the spice paste a bit, just to bring out some good flavor. Add your cut up leg of lamb, and the sauce and follow the directions from there. I hope that works! I think it will. Let me know.
I made this tonight for our dinner and it was gorgeous!!! It took me about 2 hours to prepare (incl the washing up) but was a really enjoyable recipe to make. I didn’t put it straight into the oven as I’d prepared it early but covered it in the foil and then just put it in the oven when we were ready. This worked a treat so could easily be made for a party ahead of time. We all agreed it was fab. We don’t like our curries too hot so I only put 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper in and it was perfect – enough kick that it tasted like curry. Thanks, I’ll definitely be making it again.
★★★★★
This was fabulous. It took a while to prepare but the resulting dish was showstopping! Thank you!
★★★★★
Yay! I’m thrilled to hear it 🙂
Recipe look great. Going to try this tonight. Just one question. The two cans of ‘tomato sauce’…I’m assuming this to mean cans of chopped tomatoes in sauce? Thanks 🙂
Tomato sauce is smooth sauce in a can. It doesn’t have any chopped tomatoes in it. It’s usually easy to find at grocery stores. I hope you enjoy the Biryani!
It’s in the oven right now and I can hardly wait. My house smells amazing. I really appreciate your step by step directions. Made this very fun to put together. I’ll let you know what it tastes like soon. Thanks for the recipe!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the cooking process. 🙂 I hope you love the biriyani as much as I do. Let me know!
I’m going to try this recipe. I just made Chicken Biryani but with a different technique (cooking the rise on a pot) and I want to try to do Lamb Biryani (my favorite Indian dish) since lamb it’s more expensive on my country I want to try it with chicken first (Do you have you chicken biryani recipe?). When I do it I’m going to post another message here with my review hehehe.
I don’t have a chicken biryani recipe on Panning The Globe yet. Maybe some time soon. I hope you enjoy the lamb biryani. I look forward to hearing back from you!
Loved making this and the outcome was perfect – everyone loved it (even had a guest who spent time in India who raved)
Yes – not simple, but directions were spot on and very easy to follow – I liked how multiple things were done in parallel, but were not rushed.
I used less saffron (my poor measuring) – so my rendition lost some of the gorgeous yellow that your photo has – but the flavor was ideal.
100% making this again! (i think I say that about almost everything I make from PTG)
Happy New Year!
★★★★★
I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed the cooking part as well as the final dish Joel. I feel the same way about this recipe. It’s one of my family’s favorites and though it takes time to cook, I love the process too. 🙂 Thanks for this note – I appreciate it so much. Happy New Year!
Dear Lisa!
I have on problem, I can’t cook it in the oven…. Do you have a solution? Can I, instead of baking it in the oven, for exmaple bake it in a nice big pan? For 30 minutes? That’s my only possibility, I don’t have an oven….
Dear Lisa,
I hope you can help me out. I want to make your dish but I don’t have an oven. Is it possible to bake everything in a pan for 30 minutes instead of an oven? Is that a good solution? Please help me out!
Greetings
Hi Max. I’m sure there is a way. I would suggest that you layer the biryani into a heavy pot with a lid, preferably enameled cast iron like a Dutch oven. You want something that’s can heat up and keep a lot of heat in so the entire contents cook evenly and the bottom doesn’t burn. Cover the pot tightly and cook it on low heat for 40 minutes or so. Let me know how it turns out!
This recipe looks absolutely amazing! I’m considering to make this for a dinner party, but I do have a question. Do you think I’ll be able to make the lamb and curry sauce a day before? And then on the day of the party just make the rice and put the lamb curry and rice together and pop it in the oven?
★★★★★
Yes, you can absolutely make the lamb and curry sauce the day before! That’s a great idea. You’ll have most of the hard work behind you and on the day of your party you can just make the rice and layer everything into a casserole and pop it in the oven. Enjoy!!
The best Indian dish! We made lamb and chicken versions. Both amazing!
Thank you
Wow that you made both! I’m very happy to hear that and especially that you enjoyed them both. Thanks for your note Ana.
Over the weekend, I spent about half an hour on the internet looking for a quick and easy lamb biryani recipe and I stumbled upon yours! What a hit it was with the entire family! The rice was so fragrant and the lamb was so tender and flavourful! And by the way, I am Indian – I’ve spent my life eating biryani and this one is second to none! 🙂
★★★★★
You’ve made my day with your note. I’m thrilled to know that you and your family enjoyed the biryani. It’s a favorite in my family too. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment.
I loveeeeee this recipe! I’ve made this a few times now and it’ll likely be my go-to dish for parties! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Yay! I’m so glad to hear you’re enjoying the Biryani. Thank you so much for leaving a comment!!
Well done and thank you Lisa. I am a reasonably-confident cook, and often vary recipes, but I followed your recipe step by step and wouldn’t change a thing. I cook Sunday dinners for our adult kids and a few other very close family members (and the odd close friends) to bring the whole family together once a week, and your 2.5 hours was almost exactly right, and an appropriate ‘investment’ for this key family occasion. I doubled everything and can confirm that your ingredients scaled perfectly. This was simple and delicious, and is now definitely in my short list of favourites to cycle through on Sundays.
I’m just returning home after psssing through the Middle East and on the plane I’m searching for a recipe for lamb biryani and found yours. Just a query on the tomato sauce. So, is it the tomatoe sauce that one would use on a hamburger? Or tomato paste? Or crushed tin tomatoes? Also some recipes have a star anised… were you tempted to add this?
Thanks Sue
Hi Susan, I’m really glad you asked this because until now I didn’t know that “tomato sauce” is “ketchup” in the UK – definitely NOT what I intended! The tomato sauce I’m referring to is a USA product that’s similar to “passata.” You can also use tomato paste and dilute it with water – 1 part tomato paste plus 1 1/2 parts water. As for the star anise, I’ve never considered using it because I’m happy with the flavors in this biryani but I bet it would be a lovely addition. I hope you enjoy the biryani. Let me know!