Briani

Ingredients

Marinade

• 1.2 kglamb or chicken, in large pieces
• 300 gplain yoghurt
• 3 tablespoonsginger and garlic paste
• 2 tablespoonsbriani masala
• 1 teaspoonground turmeric
• 2 teaspoonschilli powder
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2 teaspoonssalt
• a large handful of mint, chopped
• a large handful of coriander, chopped

Rice

• 800 gbasmati rice
• water, for soaking
• 4cardamom pods
• 1cinnamon stick
• 3cloves
• 2bay leaves
• 2 tablespoonssalt

Potato and onion

• 600 gpotatoes, halved
• 1 teaspoonground turmeric
• 4onions, thinly sliced
• oil, for frying

To layer

• a large pinch of saffron
• 100 mlwarm milk
• 4 tablespoonsghee
• the fried onions
• extra chopped mint and coriander

To seal

• plain flour and water dough
• or a tight lid and foil

To serve

• cucumber and yoghurt salad
• pickle or chutney

Directions

1. Cut the meat into large pieces on the bone where possible. Mix the yoghurt with the ginger and garlic paste. Add the briani masala, turmeric and chilli powder. Add the lemon juice, the salt and the chopped herbs. Rub this marinade thoroughly over every piece of meat.
2. Cover it and refrigerate it for at least four hours. Overnight is much better if you have the time. Peel the potatoes and cut them into large halves. Rub them all over with the turmeric and some salt. Fry them in hot oil until golden on the outside. They do not need to be cooked through yet. Lift them out and set them aside on paper. Frying the onions is the step that takes patience.
3. Slice the onions as thinly as you possibly can. Fry them in plenty of oil over a medium heat. Stir them regularly so they colour evenly. They take a good twenty minutes to go deep brown. Lift them out onto paper the moment they are ready. Heat some of the onion oil in a heavy pot. Add the marinated meat with all of its marinade.
4. Brown it over a high heat for about eight minutes. Let it cook for about thirty minutes. It should be nearly tender but not falling apart. Add the fried potatoes for the last ten minutes. The sauce should be thick rather than watery.
5. Rinse the basmati until the water runs clear. Soak it in cold water for thirty minutes. Bring a very large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the whole spices and a generous amount of salt. The water should taste properly salty. Drain the rice and tip it into the boiling water. Boil it for exactly five or six minutes. The grains should be cooked on the outside only.
6. Drain it immediately and thoroughly. Layering the pot is done quickly while everything is hot. Spoon half the meat and potatoes into a heavy pot. Cover it with half the part-cooked rice. Scatter over fried onions, mint and coriander.
7. Add the rest of the meat and then the rest of the rice. Finish with the remaining onions and herbs. Make a stiff dough from flour and water. Roll it into a long rope with your hands. Press it round the rim of the pot. Set the lid on and press it down into the dough. Steaming it is slow and must not be disturbed.
8. Set the sealed pot over a high heat for five minutes. Set a heat diffuser under the pot if you have one. Let it steam for a full forty minutes. Do not open the pot at any point during that time.
9. Take the pot off the heat and leave it sealed. Let it rest for a further fifteen minutes. Serving it is done straight from the pot. Serve rice, meat and potato together in each portion. Do not stir the pot, which breaks the grains. Pickle or a sharp chutney also goes on the table. It keeps three days in the refrigerator.

Technique

• Muslim Indian settlers brought sealed-pot biryani cooking to Mauritius, where it became a wedding and Eid dish.
• Mauritian briani uses more potato than most Indian versions, and the turmeric-stained potatoes are a defining feature.

Substitutions

• Chicken cooks faster than lamb and needs about half the braising time.
• A tight lid sealed with foil substitutes for the traditional dough seal.

Variations

• A fish briani is made on the coast in some households.
• Some families add hard-boiled eggs to the layers.
• A vegetarian version with potato and vegetables is also cooked.

History

Layered rice and meat sealed in a pot with dough, brought by Muslim Indian settlers and cooked for weddings and Eid.

Frequently asked questions

What is Briani?

Briani is a main from Mauritius: mauritian biryani slow-steamed with marinated meat and saffron potatoes. Layered rice and meat sealed in a pot with dough, brought by Muslim Indian settlers and cooked for weddings and Eid.

How long does Briani take to make?

Briani takes 1 hour plus marinating of preparation and 1 hour 30 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes serves 8. It is rated hard to make.

What can I substitute in Briani?

Yes, within limits. Chicken cooks faster than lamb and needs about half the braising time. A tight lid sealed with foil substitutes for the traditional dough seal.

What is the most important thing to get right in Briani?

Cover it and refrigerate it for at least four hours. Overnight is much better if you have the time. Peel the potatoes and cut them into large halves. Rub them all over with the turmeric and some salt. Fry them in hot oil until golden on the outside. They do not need to be cooked through yet. Lift them out and set them aside on paper. Frying the onions is the step that takes patience.