Entrepreneurs, we know meal prepping can help reduce stress around the holidays. As you prepare your meals for Eid al-Adha, try this authentic beef biriyani recipe.   

Ingredients

For the Beef Curry / Masala

• 3 tablespoons oil
• 1 large onion thinly sliced
• 1.5 lbs beef cubes 
• 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
• 2 medium tomatoes roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup yogurt
• 1-inch stick of cinnamon
• 2-3 pieces of cardamom
• 4-5 black peppercorn 
• 1-2 lavang (cloves) 
• Salt as per taste
• 4 tablespoons Shan Biryani Masala
• 2 cups water
• 1 large potato cut into 2-inch cubes

For the Rice

• 2.5 cups basmati rice soaked in water for 30 minutes
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• Few slices of lemon
• 2 to 3 leaves of fresh mint 
• Salt
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 6-8 cups of water

For the topping / dum

• 1/4 cup milk
• A few drops of yellow food color dissolved in a little bit of water
• A handful of chopped coriander
•  1-2 tablespoons of ghee butter or oil 

Methods

Beef Curry / Masala

1. In a pressure cooker pot, heat oil and add the thinly sliced onion. Saute until the onion is golden brown.
2. Once the onion is golden, add the beef cubes along with the ginger garlic paste. Saute on high heat until the beef changes color.
3. Now add the tomatoes, yogurt, and whole spices (cardamom, peppercorn, cloves, and salt).
4. Also add the Shan Biryani Masala.
5. Cook on high heat, while constantly stirring for about 5-7 minutes. Add 2 cups of water, the beef should be submerged in liquid.
6. Now cover the pressure cooker pot with its lid and bring to pressure. The cooking time will vary from 5-10 minutes depending on the cut of the beef and also the size of the beef pieces. The beef I used took about 10 minutes to cook through.
7. Now add the cubed potato.
8. Cook the beef on high heat, stirring frequently until excess liquid has evaporated and the oil has separated from the curry. Also, the cubed potato should be almost cooked through too.

Biryani Rice

1. Now in another large pot, bring water to a boil and add the rice, cumin seeds, lemon, chopped mint, oil, and salt. Cook the rice until it is parboiled (3/4 cooked). Drain the rice in a colander.

Assembly:

1. In a separate large pot, layer half of the rice. Then add the beef curry, and top with sliced lemon and chopped coriander.
2. Cover with the remaining rice.
3. Drizzle over the milk, and some yellow food coloring mixed with water.
4. Drizzle with melted ghee or butter.
5. Sprinkle more chopped coriander and lemon slices if desired.
6. Cover and steam cook on low flame for 8-10 minutes until the rice is fully cooked.
7. Mix the biryani carefully and serve with raita.