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–+ servings
Parda Biryani with roti layer cut open to show biryani on inside

Parda Biryani

Safira
Parda Biryani is a delicious Biryani where par cooked rice is layered with cooked meat and steamed  covered in a sheet of dough. This version is made entirely on the stove top and is really easy to make!
5 from 2 votes
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Cook Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Soak Rice 2 hours
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Course Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine Indian
Servings 6
Calories 668 kcal

Ingredients
  

Saffron

  • ¼ tsp Saffron Strands
  • 75 ml Milk Lukewarm

Rice

  • 12 cups Water Boiled
  • 1 tbsp Oil
  • 1 tbsp Salt
  • ¼ tsp Dry Mint
  • 2 Bay Leaves
  • 1 Star Anise
  • 1 Cinnamon Stick
  • 2 Green Cardamom
  • 2 cups Rice Around 360 g, Soaked for 2 hours

Meat

  • 2 lb Lamb Shoulder Cut into cubes
  • 3 tbsp Fried Onions
  • 1 tbsp Ginger Paste
  • 1 tbsp Garlic Paste
  • 1 tsp Coriander Powder
  • 1 tsp Cumin Powder
  • ½ tsp Turmeric Powder
  • 1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
  • ¾ tsp Kashmiri Chilli Powder
  • 1 tbsp Garam Masala Powder
  • ¼ tsp Ground Mace
  • ¼ tsp Ground Nutmeg
  • 245 g Plain or Natural Yoghurt
  • 4 tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 100 g Oil
  • 3 Bay Leaves
  • 6 Black Peppercorns
  • 5 Cloves
  • 2 tsp Fennel Seeds
  • 2 Star Aniseed
  • 1 Black Cardamom
  • 2 Onions Diced
  • 1 tbsp Garlic Paste
  • 1 tsp Ginger Paste

Parda

  • 130 g Chappati Flour I used Wholemeal
  • 1 tbsp Oil
  • 2 tbsp Plain Yoghurt
  • ¼ tsp Baking Powder
  • ¼ tsp Salt
  • 190 g Water Luke warm

Assembly

  • Pinch Red Food Colouring Powdered
  • Coriander Leaves
  • Fried Onions

Instructions
 

Saffron

  • Soak Saffron in lukewarm Milk and set aside.

Meat

  • Mariande Lamb in Fried Onions, Ginger, Garlic, Coriander Powder, Cumin Powder, Turmeric Powder, Red Chilli Powder, Kashmiri Chilli Powder, Garam Masala, Mace Powder, Nutmeg Powder, Salt, Yoghurt and Lemon.
  • Heat Oil and add whole Garam Masala (Bay Leave, Cinnamon, Fennel, Cardamom, Cloves, Black Pepper). Cook till fragrant. 
  • Add Onions and cook till golden brown. Around 15 minutes. Add Ginger and Garlic. Cook for 2 minutes. Add marinaded Meat and cook till tender. Around 50 - 60 minutes.

Rice

  • Boil Water and add Oil and Salt.
  • Add dry Mint, Bay Leaves, Star Anise, Cinnamon Stick and Cardamom.
  • Add soaked Rice and boil 3 - 4 minutes then drain.

Dough

  • Prepare the dough by mixing Flour, Salt, Baking Powder, Yoghurt, Oil and Water. Add the water slowly and increase or decrease quanitity as needed. Knead to a soft dough and set aside for 15 minutes.
  • Roll out the dough on a floured surface to a large round sheet.

Assembly

  • Add the rolled out dough to the bottom of an oiled wok.
  • Add a layer of drained Rice, Meat, and more Rice.
  • Pour over Saffron Milk and sprinkle over Food Colouring, Coriander, Fried Onions.
  • Fold the dough over the top to cover up the Biryani.
  • Cook for 5 minutes on high heat.
  • Flip onto a flat tawa or frying pan and cook for another 5 - 7 minutes on medium-low heat.

Notes

Top tips and faq’s for Parda Biryani

What Rice to use– I use long grain, aged Basmati rice in this recipe. I use Tilda or Mustafa rice. 
Pre soak the rice – If time permits, you should always soak your rice for 20 to 30 minutes before cooking. Soaking the rice removes excess starch, reduces cooking time and makes for a more fluffy overall dish. If you do not have time to soak the rice, then just thoroughly rinse the rice before adding it to the pot. Please note that this will change cooking times and quantity of water needed too. Presoaked rice grains require less water for cooking as compared to rice grains which are not soaked.
Biryani Masala – You can also used boxed Biryani Masala in this recipe and add it to the Meat whilst cooking.
Add the right amount of water – It is really easy to add too much water to rice. So make sure that you do not add too much, especially if you have pre-soaked the rice. For the most part, the rice to water ratio in all recipes requires a ratio of 1:2. However, this ratio can vary depending on the type of rice used or the cooking method used. This also changes when it comes to Biryani because the rice is par boiled and drained before the final steam. This stage takes no longer then 7 – 8 minutes max. There are some varieties of Basmati rice that come parboiled. They will need less water then a regular Basmati Rice. Stick to the quantities mentioned in the recipe if you are using regular Basmati.

Reheating and Storage for Parda Biryani

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

 

Nutrition

Calories: 668kcalCarbohydrates: 73gProtein: 28gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 68mgSodium: 1417mgPotassium: 529mgFiber: 3gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 83IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 164mgIron: 4mg
Keyword Biryani, Lamb Biryani, Parda Biryani
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