Bibi (my grandmother) was known in Portsmouth and Zanzibar for her Biriyani. Every Eid of Zanzibari gathering back in the day, she would be assigned to Biriyani duty. The countless hours she spends frying onions in the kitchen is always worth it the moment you take that first bite. We have always made this with mutton or lamb but you can also use chicken or vegetables too! Super easy to make vegan as well.

Cooking notes: 

• Recipe makes enough for 6 people 

• Lamb or chicken is fine to use, cooking time will be shorter. Lamb and Mutton yield the best flavour. 

• Some meat on the bone is needed for the stock. 

• No, you can’t use pre-made stock. 

• Coconut yoghurt is fine to use for a dairy alternative, but try to get one that is not strong in flavour. 

• Best results with my homemade baharat. 

Ingredients:

• 1kg white onions  (sliced thinly) 

• 750g mutton (cut into cubes that are between 2-3 inches thick, ideally on the bone)

• 500g plain yoghurt

• 250g tomato purée 

• 30g + 2 TBSP Dina’s Baharat or pre-made Garam Masala 

• 50g garlic paste 

• 50g ginger paste

• 125ml lemon juice / 4 Lemons

• 2 large potatoes large (cut into 4 or 6) 

• 450g basmati white rice 

• 3 Pinches of Saffron 

• 1 TBSP Sugar 

• 1-2 Litres Vegetable Oil 

Ingredients for my Baharat

• 100g Black Peppercorns 

• 70g Cardamom Pods 

• 80g Whole Nutmeg

• 200g Cinnamon Bark 

• 100g Cloves 

• 300g Cumin Seeds 

• 200g Coriander Seeds 

(roast at 160°c for 15 minutes, then blend to powder)

Method: 

1. Add your onions in two batches into a pan of oil. The onions need to be fully covered in oil. With the first batch add to room temperature, then place on a high heat and fry til they are a golden/brown. 

2. Make sure to keep turning and moving the onions in the pan so they don’t burn. 

3. Once the onions are cooked, place on a tray but do not put kitchen paper, as we want the oil. 

4. While the onions are frying, begin cooking the meat. 

5. In a saucepan combine tomato puree, 30g baharat, meat, garlic, ginger, salt and yoghurt and place on a high heat till it starts to bubble. Then reduce to a medium to low heat, keep a lid on the pan and leave the meat to cook for 1.5 hours. 

6. After 30 minutes add in the potatoes. 

7. Then after another 30 minutes add in the lemon juice and a third of the onions, mix through well and leave to cook for another 20 minutes. 

8. While the sauce is cooking, we want to par boil the rice. 

9. Fill a saucepan with enough water to cover the rice, add salt, bring to the boil and then add in the rice, and leave it to cook for around 10-15 minutes till the rice is soft, but not completely cooked. Make sure the water does not all absorb. 

10. Drain the rice and set aside. 

11. The meat by this point should be cooked and starting to become tender. Check the tomato sauce for salt then sprinkle 2 TBSP of baharat over the top of the sauce, sprinkle over another third of the onions, then add the rice on top. 

12. For the saffron, grind it with the sugar in a pestle and mortar till the saffron is almost powder. Add 50ml of boiling water to it, stir well. 

13. Make holes with your spoon all around the rice, then pour the saffron all over the top, making sure some goes inside the holes. 

14. Then pour over two ladle spoons of the onion oil over the rice. 

15. Finally top off with the rest of the onions. 

16. Place a tea towel round the pan's lid to lock in the steam, put the lid on top and put the pan in the oven at 180°c for 1 hour. 

17. Once ready, when serving, spoon the rice onto the plate first, and then dig deeper to get the meat/masala part. Don’t just dig deep, layer the plate. 

18. Serve with yoghurt. We mix yoghurt with cucumber, coriander onions, tomatoes, raisins and salt or if you like you can eat this with a citrusy leafy salad.