Malabar Beef Biriyani | Erachi Biriyani

A spicy Malabar style beef biriyani, for those elaborate weekend meals…

Pin

I am travelling home tomorrow and actually speaking, I am a bit panicky. I have already gone on my own last month for four days, and I had to just manage myself but this time I am going with the girls, plus their exams happen while we are home, so it is going to be mighty crazy. Each time I have mentioned about going on vacation on the blog, I have been really excited but this time, I am paranoid and just hoping for the best. Just a couple of days ago, the rules to travel to India changed, needing a negative PCR test ready in hand. So that ensured my girls had their first time experience of their noses being poked for swabs. Alhamdulillah, our results came negative, and now once we reach Calicut, there will be one more nose poking process. I am just wondering how long this process will continue… It is such a damper for the excitement of going home…

Coming to today’s recipe… Usually beef is not something that gets made into biriyani, at least not in our side. It is always the roast or the curry to go with neychor or thenga chor. But of late, I discovered that it could be made into biriyani too and I wasn’t wrong. It tasted simply amazing. The problem with biriyani recipes is that it is easier to cook them that to type them and have them published. Seriously! Just having a look at the list of ingredients can put off anyone who wants to try making them, but actually if you read through, it is quite simple and made with ingredients right from our shelf. This biriyani is no different. The rice is cooked till almost done. The beef is cooked seperately and added back into the masala base, that gets done in the meanwhile. Then the whole mixture is put on dum, and then we are all ready to roll, with some ulli raita and garlic pickle, yum! Off to the recipe…

Pin

Pin

Malabar Beef Biriyani | Erachi Biriyani

Course Main Meals

Cuisine Malabar

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Servings 4

Author Rafeeda AR

Ingredients

• FOR COOKING MEAT
• 600 gm beef with bones washed and drained
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 tsp black pepper powder
• Salt to taste
• FOR MASALA
• 1 inch ginger
• 3 cloves garlic
• 3 green chillies
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 2 onions thinly sliced
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tomato chopped
• 1/2 cup yogurt whisked
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 2 tbsp coriander leaves chopped
• 2 tbsp mint leaves chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• FOR RICE
• 2 1/2 cups jeerakashala or basmati rice refer notes
• 1 tbsp ghee
• 1 inch cinnamon stick
• 3 cardamoms
• 10 black peppercorns
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• Water to cook the rice refer notes
• Salt to taste
• FOR DUM
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 1 small onion sliced
• 10 cashew nuts
• 2 tbsp raisins
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 3-4 tbsp coriander leaves chopped
• 3-4 tbsp mint leaves chopped
• 1 tbsp rose water

Instructions

• Combine all ingredients under "for meat" and marinate for 30 minutes, if possible. Pressure cook for three to four whistles or till done. Set aside.
• To make the masala, first grind the green chillies, ginger and garlic into a course paste, or crush them using a mortar and pestle.
• In a saucepan, heat the oil. Splutter the fennel seeds. Add the onion and saute till it is wilted.
• Add the ground paste and saute till raw smell is gone.
• Add the turmeric and red chilli powders along with the tomato and cook, stirring occassionally till nicely mashed. Add a little water if the masala sticks.
• Add the cooked beef along with its stock and the yogurt. Give a good mix. Adjust the seasoning. Simmer for around 5 minutes or thickened.
• Add the garam masala, the coriander and mint leaves, mix and switch off.
• Meanwhile make the rice by heating ghee and briefly frying the whole spices. Add water and sufficient salt and bring to a rolling boil.
• Add the rice and after boiling on high flame, keep flame to the minimum and cook till the rice absorbs the liquid and is almost cooked.
• For making dum ingredients, heat the ghee and fry the onion till browned. Add the cashews and raisins and switch off. Toss for them to cook.
• In a large saucepan, spread a thin layer of rice. Top with the beef masala and add the remaining rice. Sprinkle the fried onions and nuts, coriander leaves, mint leaves and rose water. Close the lid tight and cook on dum for 15-20 minutes on low flame.
• Switch off and allow the biriyani to rest for 10 minutes. Fluff up the rice and serve hot with raita and achaar.

Notes

If using jeerakashala rice, use double the amount of water.

If using basmati rice, wash and soak the rice for 30 minutes. Drain. Use 1 1/2 cup water for every cup of rice.