South African Malay Lamb Breyani (Or Chicken)
- Ready In:
- 2hrs 30mins
- Ingredients:
- 24
- Serves:
-
6-8
ingredients
- 4 cups basmati rice
- 1 piece cassia (ZEE ( you can use a little nutmeg instead)
- 2 cardamom pods
- salt
- 1 cup lentils, brown
- 2 onions, thinly sliced
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 4 medium potatoes, peeled and halved
- 2 1⁄4 lbs mutton (ZEE ( use lamb or chicken)
-
MARINADE
- 2 cups plain yogurt
- 14 ounces tinned chopped tomatoes
- 2 cinnamon sticks (ZEE ( use 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon if no sticks available)
- 4 allspice berries (ZEE ( use 1/2 t. ground allspice if no berries)
- 6 whole cloves
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh gingerroot
- 2 teaspoons crushed garlic
- 2 tablespoons masala (ZEE ( a spicy mix, like a mild and spicy curry, but no bite)
- salt
- 1 pinch saffron (ZEE ( use a 1/2 teaspoon turmeric)
- 1⁄2 cup butter
- 1 cup water
directions
- (Masala, a ground mixture of different spices, is available from Indian shops).
- Boil rice, cassia, cardamom and salt in sufficient water to cover. Drain and set aside. Boil lentils in sufficient water to cover until almost soft. Drain and set aside.
- Fry onions in oil until golden, remove with slotted spoon and set aside. Fry onions in same oil until golden, remove and set aside.
- Mix everything for the marinade together.
- Place the meat in a large bowl with half the fried onions and cover with the marinade. Leave for at least 1 hour.
- Pour the used oil into a large saucepan. Sprinkle 2 cups cooked rice over the oil, then arrange the meat with its marinade over the rice.
- Layer lentils, potatoes and the rest of the rice over the meat.
- Layer remaining onions over potatoes and sprinkle over saffron (or turmeric).
- Dot with the butter, pour the cup of water over, and close saucepan with a tight-fitting lid. Cook for 10 minutes over high heat, then reduce heat and simmer 1 hour or more until meat is tender.
- (Okay, I won't make it this way, but this is true-blue Malay down to all that oil! Which you can reduce!).
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Reviews
-
Nice recipe but it got mixed reviews in my family so I averaged it out. I didn't know biryani (assuming breyani is the same thing) was an African recipe, but it does seem to borrow heavily from the traditional Indian biryani, but not quite as good. Interesting variation to try though, and oh, I cut back way on the oil.
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
Zurie
South Africa
I'm a widow, retired, and I love cooking. I live on the coast in South Africa and I love seafood. You're welcome to my recipes (all kinds, definitely not just seafood!) Just remember that no recipe is ever cast in stone -- adjust to your taste!
The photo was taken at a rustic seaside restaurant on our West Coast, approx 1 year ago (2016).