Karachi Biryani

About This Recipe

Karachi biryani is bolder and spicier than its Hyderabadi or Lucknawi cousins — the beef is marinated in a fierce yoghurt and spice mixture, the onions are fried to crackling, and everything is layered with fragrant basmati and sealed to steam together. The result is an intensely flavoured, deeply perfumed rice dish with tender meat and the signature brown crust (socarrat) at the bottom of the pot.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 500 gbasmati rice(soaked 30 minutes)
• 600 gbeef(cut into large chunks)
• 200 mlplain yoghurt
• 3 largeonions(thinly sliced and deep-fried golden)
• 4 mediumtomatoes(chopped)
• 5 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 2 cmfresh ginger(grated)
• 2 tspbiryani masala
• 1 tspchilli powder
• 1 tspturmeric
• 0.5 tspsaffron(soaked in 3 tbsp warm milk)
• 3 tbspghee
• 1 tspsalt

Instructions

1. 1

   Marinate beef

   Mix beef with yoghurt, half the fried onions, garlic, ginger, biryani masala, chilli, turmeric and salt. Marinate 2 hours (or overnight).

2. 2

   Cook meat masala

   Heat ghee in a heavy pot. Cook tomatoes until thick. Add marinated beef and cook on medium heat 30 minutes until beef is almost tender and masala thick.

3. 3

   Par-cook rice

   Boil rice in heavily salted water with whole spices (cardamom, cloves, cinnamon) for 7 minutes until 60% cooked. Drain.

4. 4

   Layer

   Spread meat masala evenly in the pot. Top with half the par-cooked rice, scatter remaining fried onions, then add rest of rice. Drizzle saffron milk over top.

5. 5

   Dum cook

   Seal pot tightly with foil, then lid. Cook on the lowest heat for 25 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes before opening. Serve by digging down through all layers.

Variations

• •

  Use chicken for a 45-minute version.

• •

  Add a layer of boiled eggs for a classic variation.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Refrigerate for 3 days. Reheat in a sealed pot or microwave with a splash of water.

Frequently Asked Questions