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Home ยป Recipes

Published: Sep 21, 2021. Post Updated: Apr 16, 2024

Home ยป Recipes

Mum's Biryani - Lamb or Chicken

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Mum's Biryani - Lamb or Chicken - My Mum's Biryani is. to. die. for. It is loved by all 6 of us siblings and our friends too. It is vibrant, aromatic and full of rich aromatic flavour. You can use either Lamb, Chicken or Veg in this recipe. This is Biryani for a crowd. It will feed at least 20 people.

Biryani on a white platter

Mum's Biryani - Lamb or Chicken

There is a reason that people will travel for a good Biryani. It is so much more then the delicious flavour. It is also what it represents. To me, that is Celebration/Gathering/Home/Mum/Dad/Family/Love. 

Biryani on a platter

If you have been keeping a close eye on the legend that is Asma Khan and Twitter lately, you will have noticed that it is also popular with a certain Mr Paul Rudd. 

Asma has taken the essence of what Biryani means to so many of us and turned it into something that the World understands.

She has somehow managed to capture:

The anticipation of unveiling the pot of Biryani to reveal the beautiful colours and aroma underneath.

Biryani on a platter

The joy of digging deep into the pot, making sure that you are getting every layer of bubbling deliciously flavourful hot curry and fragrant fluffy rice. 

WHAT IS BIRYANI?

A Biryani is a layered dish of Curry (Chicken, Lamb, Beef, Veg) layered in between layers of steamed fluffy rice.

The rice takes in all the flavour of the curry and so you end up with the most delicious plate of food.

Whilst it can be time consuming to make, the results always make it worthwhile.

BIRYANI VARIETIES

There are many many variations of Biryani. Some of which are listed below (There are many more):

Lucknow Biryani - Lakhnawi Biryani is made Yakhni style with whole spices.

Masoor Biryani - In this, Masoor dal is half cooked in a with spices, onions and tomatoes. Then Biryani is layered with par-boiled aromatic long grain rice, fried onions, saffron flavored milk and coriander leaves. Like in this recipe.

Kolkata Biryani - Made with less oil and spices, and is more delicate in flavour then others. It is a dum style Biryani that is layered.

Memony Biryani - Memoni biryani is very similar to Sindhi biryani. However, Memoni biryani is usually made with lamb and less food colouring.

Hyderabadi Biryani - The authentic Hyderabadi biryani in which raw rice and raw meat are cooked together in a pot with spices and a little bit of water.Here is my recipe for it.

Malabar Biryani - The famed Malabar Chicken Biryani is made by layering an aromatic and herby chicken masala with fluffy rice, crunchy fried onions (birista), nuts, dried fruits and ghee in a large pot. 

Calicut Chicken Biryani - A dum Biryani that is flavoured with the spices of  Kerala made with a short grain rice.

Parda Biryani - In this recipe, Biryani is cooked in a layer of dough. Here is my recipe for it.

There are 3 main types of Biryani โ€“ one where the meat or vegetables are cooked mixed with the rice (Pilau style or Yakhni).

Another version known as Dum style biryani where meat and rice are layered and cook in a sealed pot over fire.

The final version is where both the main elements are served separately.

This is seen very rarely but my friends mum used to make it for us when we were at University and it would often grace the table at our Hall's of Residence.

HOW TO MAKE MUM'S BIRYANI

Boil meat with whole Spices, Onion, Salt, Ginger and Garlic until tender.

In this case it was lamb that took 50 minutes to become tender. (Test with fingers). I did not add water but keep checking to see if water is needed.

Boiled lamb in a pot

Deep Fry Potatoes and set aside.

Fried potatoes on tissure paper on plate

Heat Oil and add Onions.

Onions and whole spices in oil in pot

Brown Onions with whole spices until a deep golden brown. 

Browned onions in pot being stirred with wooden spoon

Add Garlic, Ginger, Green Chilli and cook until fragrant.

Garlic, Ginger and Green Chilli added to browned onions in pot

Next add pureed Tomatoes and ground Spices.

Tomato added to pot being stirred with wooden spoon

Spices added to tomato in pot

Add the meat.

Lamb added to tomato in pot

Cook on low until the oil separates out at the sides. Add the Potatoes.

Cooked lamb in pot

You can use either any meat (Below is from the time we made a Chicken version).

Chicken curry in pot

Meanwhile par cook rice with whole Spices, then drain and set aside.

Rice being parboiled in a large pot

Parboiled rice in a pot

Rice strained in colander

Add foil to bottom layer of pot.

Layer the Rice and meat in alternate layers adding blobs of butter, fried onions, saffron and coriander in between until everything is used up.

Rice being added to bottom layer of pot

Butter added on top of rice

Saffron added to rice layer

Curry layer being added to rice in pot

Curry layer added on top of rice

Lamb added on top of rice layer

Rice being added on top of lamb in pot

Rice layer being spread on top of lamb

Complete rice layer on top of lamb layer

Fried onions, butter and coriander on top of rice layer in pot

Add some colour to the final layer if you wish by diluting powdered colour in water and sprinkling over the top of the rice.

Biryani with coloured rice and coriander and fried onions on top

Biryani pot showing layers when one schoop is taken out

The pot is then covered with a layer or 2 of foil and a lid and cooked over a low heat for about 1 hour during which time the rice absorbs all the flavour and aroma of the spices and lamb curry underneath.

HOW TO MAKE A SMALLER QUANTITY - FOR 6

Ingredient quantities for 6:

Saffron Milk

4 strands Saffron

30 ml Milk

Potatoes

Oil for deep frying

2 Potatoes peeled and chopped into 3 cm cubes

Lamb

1 kg Lamb Shoulder

1 Cinnamon Stick

1 Bay Leaf

2 Cloves

2 Cardamom Pods

Salt

1 teaspoon crushed Ginger

1 teaspoon crushed Garlic

Curry

2 tablespoon Oil

1 large Onion

2 Cardamom Pods

2 Cinnamon Sticks

2 Bay Leaves

1 Star Anise

Tbsp Fenugreek

1 teaspoon crushed Ginger

1 teaspoon crushed Garlic

1 teaspoon crushed Green Chilli

240g Pureed Plum Tomatoes

1 teaspoon Ground Coriander

1 teaspoon Ground Cumin

1 teaspoon Ground Red Chilli

Salt

ยฝ teaspoon Ground Turmeric

ยผ teaspoon Ground Cardamom

ยผ teaspoon Ground Fennel

ยผ teaspoon Ground Garam Masala

โ…› teaspoon Ground Mace

Rice

3 cups Rice

6 cups Water

ยผ Onion, diced

1 Peppercorn

1 Clove

1 Bay Leaf

1 Cinnamon Stick

1 Cardamom Pod

ยพ teaspoon crushed Garlic

ยพ teaspoon crushed Ginger

Salt

Instructions

The instructions for the smaller quantity remains the same but you will need to cook it for less time once covered with foil.  (20 - 30 minutes).

top tips and notes

Whole Garam Masala โ€“ Cooking this in the oil with the onions makes the most of itโ€™s  flavour and aroma.

Slow Cooking โ€“ Take your time with each layer because this is what makes it so special!

Caramelising onions โ€“ means you get the most deliciously sweet flavour out of them but keep an eye on them to make sure they donโ€™t burn.

Whole Garam Masala โ€“ Cooking this in the oil with the onions maximises itโ€™s  flavour and aroma.

Rice โ€“ I use long grain, aged Basmati rice in this recipe. I like Tilda or Mustafa rice because it is less likely to clump together.

Salt โ€“ I only add salt to the chicken layer here and that may seem odd but it works fine. 

Taste as you go โ€“ Once the chicken layer is done, taste it and adjust before layering.

Kewra Water โ€“ A lot of people, add rose water or kewra water to the top layer of Biryani recipes but I donโ€™t really like it so I avoid it.

Eggs โ€“ You can add serve this Biryani with boiled eggs.

Serve โ€“ This recipe is perfect served with Papadum, Pickles (Achaar), Kacumbur (Salad) and Raita. I love this Onion one.

reheating and storing biryani

This Biryani lasts covered in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3  days. It can also be frozen for up to 2 months. Rice must be piping hot when reheated. 

MORE GREAT INDIAN RICE RECIPES:

Keema Rice

Chicken Akni, One Pot Chicken and Rice

Prawn Biryani

Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

Parda Biryani

ON THE SIDE

  • Kachumber Salad
  • Onion Raita

**if you make something from  tiffin and tea, i would love to see your creations! donโ€™t forget to rate this recipe and leave a comment below! we love to hear from you. safira x

Biryani on a platter

Mum's Biryani - Lamb or Chicken

Safira
My Mum's Biryani is. to. die. for. It is loved by all 6 of us siblings and our friends too. It is vibrant, aromatic and full of rich aromatic flavour. You can use either Lamb, Chicken or Veg in this recipe.
5 from 8 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins
Total Time 2 hours hrs 40 minutes mins
Course Dinner
Cuisine Indian
Servings 20
Calories 550 kcal

Ingredients
  

Saffron Milk

  • Few strands Saffron
  • 100 ml Milk lighlty warmed

Potatoes

  • Oil For deep frying
  • 5 Potatoes Peeled and chopped into 3cm cubes

Lamb

  • 2.5 kg Lamb Shoulder Cut into 1 inch pieces, Bone in
  • 2 Cinnamon Sticks
  • 2 Bay Leaves
  • 4 Peppercorns
  • 3 Cloves
  • 4 Cardamom Pods Lightly cracked open
  • ยฝ Onion Roughly chopped
  • Salt
  • ยผ teaspoon Ginger Paste
  • ยผ teaspoon Garlic Paste

Curry

  • 150 ml Vegetable or Sunflower Oil
  • 6 Onions Sliced finely
  • 2 Cardamom Pods
  • 2 Cinnamon Sticks Small
  • 2 Bay Leaves
  • 1 Star Anise Optional
  • 1 ยฝ tablespoon Dry Fenugreek or use small handful fresh Fenugreek Leaves
  • 3 teaspoon Ginger Paste
  • 3 teaspoon Garlic Paste
  • 3 teaspoon Green Chili Paste
  • 800 g Tomato tin Pureed
  • 2 teaspoon Cumin Powder
  • 2 teaspoon Coriander Powder
  • 3 teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
  • 2 - 3 teaspoon Salt Adjust to your taste
  • 2 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Ground Cardamom
  • 2 teaspoon Fennel Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Mace

Rice

  • 10 cups Rice
  • Enough boiled water to cover the rice plus 1 - 2 inches Around 20 cups
  • ยฝ Onion diced
  • 4 Peppercorns
  • 2 Cloves
  • 2 Bay Leaves
  • 1 Cinnamon Stick
  • 3 Cardamom Pods crushed
  • ยผ teaspoon Garlic Paste
  • ยผ teaspoon Ginger Paste
  • Salt

Toppings

  • Handful Coriander Leaves Chopped
  • Handful Fried Onions
  • Orange Powdered Food colour

Instructions
 

Saffron Milk

  • Soak Saffron in Milk and set aside.

Potatoes

  • Heat OIl. Once hot, deep Fry Potatoes till golden brown then drain on kitchen paper.

Lamb

  • Boil meat with whole Spices (Cinnamon Sticks, Bay Leaves, Peppercorns, Cloves, Cardamom) Onion, Salt, Ginger and Garlic until tender. In this case it was lamb that took 45 - 50 minutes to become tender. (Test with fingers). I did not add water but keep checking to see if water is needed.

Curry

  • Heat Oil. Once hot add Onions. Brown Onions with whole spices (Cardmom, Cinnamon, Bay Leave, Star Anise) until a deep golden brown.ย 
  • Add Fenugreek, Garlic, Ginger, Green Chilli and cook until fragrant.
  • Next add pureed Tomatoes, Cumin Powder, Corainder Powder, Red Chilli Powder, Salt, Turmeric Powder, Ground Cardamom, Fennel Powder, Garam Masala Powder and Mace.
  • Cook for 7 - 10 minutes on high.
  • Add the meat. Cook covered on low until the oil separates out at the sides. About 20 minutes. Add the Potatoes

Rice

  • Meanwhile par cook the rice with all the ingredients listed underneath the 'Rice' section - around 10 minutes. Then drain and set aside.

Layer

  • Add foil to bottom layer of pot. Layer the Rice and meat in alternate layers adding blobs of butter, fried onions, saffron and coriander in between until everything is used up.
  • Add some colour to the final layer if you wish by diluting powdered colour in water and sprinkling over the top of the rice.
  • Cover the pot with a layer of foil and a lid and cook over a low heat for about 1 hour. You can also do this in the oven.

Notes

top tips and notes

Whole Garam Masala โ€“ Cooking this in the oil with the onions makes the most of itโ€™s  flavour and aroma.
Slow Cooking โ€“ Take your time with each layer because this is what makes it so special!
Caramelising onions โ€“ means you get the most deliciously sweet flavour out of them but keep an eye on them to make sure they donโ€™t burn.
Whole Garam Masala โ€“ Cooking this in the oil with the onions maximises itโ€™s  flavour and aroma.
Rice โ€“ I use long grain, aged Basmati rice in this recipe. I like Tilda or Mustafa rice because it is less likely to clump together.
Salt โ€“ I only add salt to the chicken layer here and that may seem odd but it works fine. 
Taste as you go โ€“ Once the chicken layer is done, taste it and adjust before layering.
Kewra Water โ€“ A lot of people, add rose water or kewra water to the top layer of Biryani recipes but I donโ€™t really like it so I avoid it.
Eggs โ€“ You can add serve this Biryani with boiled eggs.
Serve โ€“ This recipe is perfect served with Papadum, Pickles (Achaar), Kacumbur (Salad) and Raita. I love this Onion one.

reheating and storing biryani

This Biryani lasts covered in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3  days. It can also be frozen for up to 2 months. Rice must be piping hot when reheated. 

How to make a smaller quantity - for 6

Ingredient quantities for 6:
Saffron Milk
4 strands Saffron
30 ml Milk
Potatoes
Oil for deep frying
2 Potatoes peeled and chopped into 3 cm cubes
Lamb
1 kg Lamb Shoulder
1 Cinnamon Stick
1 Bay Leaf
2 Cloves
2 Cardamom Pods
Salt
1 teaspoon crushed Ginger
1 teaspoon crushed Garlic
Curry
2 tablespoon Oil
1 large Onion
Large pinch Fenugreek
1 teaspoon crushed Ginger
1 teaspoon crushed Garlic
1 teaspoon crushed Green Chilli
240g Pureed Plum Tomatoes
1 teaspoon Ground Coriander
1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 teaspoon Ground Red Chilli
Salt
ยฝ teaspoon Ground Turmeric
ยผ teaspoon Ground Cardamom
ยผ teaspoon Ground Fennel
ยผ teaspoon Ground Garam Masala
โ…› teaspoon Ground Mace
Rice
3 cups Rice
6 cups Water
ยผ Onion, diced
1 Peppercorn
1 Clove
1 Bay Leaf
1 Cinnamon Stick
1 Cardamom Pod
ยพ teaspoon crushed Garlic
ยพ teaspoon crushed Ginger
Salt
Instructions
The instructions for the smaller quantity remains the same but you will need to cook it for less time once covered with foil.  (20 - 30 minutes).

Nutrition

Calories: 550kcalCarbohydrates: 81gProtein: 24gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 51mgSodium: 647mgPotassium: 517mgFiber: 3gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 349IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 70mgIron: 3mg
Keyword Biryani, Indian Biryani, Lamb Biryani, Mum's Biryani
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

    5 from 8 votes (6 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Rizwana says

    September 21, 2021 at 8:31 am

    5 stars
    Mouth.is.watering. (aka one of the siblings ๐Ÿ˜Š)!

    Reply
    • Safira says

      September 21, 2021 at 1:10 pm

      Lol. Best Biryani ever. ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
  2. Fiona. says

    November 20, 2021 at 12:02 pm

    Safira I love this site and all the delicious home made dishes. I would like to have a go at making your Mumโ€™s Biryani - it sounds delicious and a very special dish to your family.
    I would like to make it for about 6 people and wanted to know if you could give me any guidance on adapting it for a smaller gathering. Thank you!

    Reply
    • Safira says

      November 24, 2021 at 2:19 pm

      Hi Fiona,

      Thankyou so much for your lovely comment. It has made my day!
      I have updated the recipe notes to include ingredient quantities and method for 6 people. x

      Reply
      • Fiona says

        November 26, 2021 at 1:29 pm

        5 stars
        Canโ€™t thank you enough for this! I am going to make this next weekend for my family. I will let you know how it turns out.

        Reply
        • Safira says

          November 29, 2021 at 8:12 am

          Hope you love it x

          Reply

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hey...Iโ€™m safira! I share accessible Global Recipes as well as Baking recipes for home cooks. One of my passions is to teach home cooks to become more confident in the kitchen and this comes with time and experience.

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