How to make Dan Toomb's kacchi lamb biryani

Inspired by British Indian Restaurant food, Dan Toombs' lamb biryani has been slow cooked and uses plenty of spices to give it a rich and rounded flavour

Kacchi lamb biryani

The simple stir-fried biryanis served at most curry houses simply don’t compare to this slow-cooked kacchi biryani. I first tried it back in 2013 at Sheba on Brick Lane in London. It was so good I had to get the recipe! This is my take on their delicious and hugely popular dish.

Serves 6–8

3 onions, finely sliced and fried, cooking oil reserved
1 leg of lamb, cut through the bone into 12 or more pieces*

For the marinade

2 tbsp garlic and ginger paste
​420g plain yoghurt
Juice of 2 lemons
2 fresh green chillies, roughly chopped
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 tbsp garam masala
1⁄2 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1⁄4 tsp ground mace
1⁄2 tsp chilli powder
30g  fresh coriander (cilantro) leaves, chopped
10g fresh mint leaves, chopped 

For the rice

2 tbsp sea salt Whole garam masala (1 cinnamon stick, 10 peppercorns, 1 bay leaf, 1 tbsp cumin seeds)
500g aged basmati rice
Pinch of saffron threads infused with 300ml hot milk 60g fresh coriander, chopped
20g fresh mint leaves, chopped
tbsp melted ghee
1 tbsp rose water
1⁄2 tsp ground cumin
Dried rose petals (optional) 

Mix the marinade ingredients in a bowl with a quarter of the fried onions and 200ml of cooled reserved oil. Add the lamb and rub the marinade into it. Cover and marinate overnight in the fridge.

To make the rice, when ready to cook, bring 1.5 litres (6 cups) water to a boil in a large pan. Add the salt, whole garam masala and rice, and simmer for 6 minutes. After the 6 minutes, remove half the rice from the water with a strainer and place in a small bowl. Cook the remaining rice for another minute and remove to a second bowl. Now spoon about 3 tbsp of the reserved onion oil into a large, heavy-based saucepan and tip in the marinated meat and all of the marinade. Spread the rst batch of rice, including any whole spices over the lamb. Cover with half the remaining fried onions and half the chopped coriander (cilantro) and mint.

Add the second bowl of rice on top and then the remaining fried onions and herbs. Spoon the melted ghee over the top layer, followed by the saffron-infused milk, the rose water and a sprinkle of cumin powder. Scatter some dried rose petals on top, if using. Make a soft dough with water and our and run it around the top of the pan and secure the lid tightly on top. Heat the biryani over a high heat for a couple of minutes. When you hear it simmering, reduce the heat to very low and cook for about 40 minutes. Don’t be tempted to lift the lid.

After 40 minutes, your kitchen will smell amazing. Take your biryani to the table and unseal the lid. Lift it and enjoy the amazing aroma. Stir the meat from the bottom into the rice about three or four times and serve with your favourite raita.

* TIP: Ask your butcher to cut your leg of lamb into pieces.

The Curry Guy by Dan Toombs (Quadrille, £12.99) Photography © Kris Kirkham