Lucknowi Biryani is a North Indian rice dish. It’s a refined, aromatic biryani where marinated meat (usually lamb) is cooked low and slow, then layered with par-cooked basmati rice, saffron milk, and rose water. It uses the dum method: once the lamb and par-cooked rice are layered in the pot, the lid is sealed with a tea towel and the entire dish steams in its own moisture over a low heat.

The lamb is cooked first as a braise in a spiced sauce. That sauce is then sieved, the fat is skimmed off and reserved, and both the clarified sauce and the reserved fat are returned to the layering. The saffron milk and rosewater are distributed between the rice layers before the pot is sealed, which gives the biryani its signature golden patches and floral fragrance.

The cook has several distinct stages and the timing between them matters. The onions need to cook to a deep golden brown before anything else goes in. The ginger-garlic paste and the whole spice mix are made fresh. The lamb braises for 45 minutes to 1 hour. The basmati is par-cooked to 70-80% and spread on a tray to stop it cooking further. Then the layering happens and the pot goes on for the final dum. A tea towel under the lid traps steam without letting condensation drip back down onto the rice.

Ingredient Notes

Aged basmati rice: Aged basmati has lower moisture content than freshly harvested basmati, which means the grains absorb liquid more slowly and stay firm and separate during the dum cook. Fresh basmati grains cook faster and are more likely to clump or become soft under steam. Look for aged basmati at Indian or Asian grocery stores. The labelling usually specifies aging (1-year or 2-year aged). The difference in the finished dish is significant, particularly in the texture of the rice layers.

Kashmiri chilli powder: Kashmiri chilli is a variety of dried red chilli known more for the deep red-orange colour it produces than for its heat, which is considerably milder than regular chilli powder. It’s what gives the lamb sauce its characteristic colour. Substituting with standard chilli powder will make the dish noticeably hotter without the same visual result. Use half the quantity if substituting, or combine regular chilli powder with a little sweet paprika to approximate both the colour and the heat level.

Blade mace: Mace is the dried lacy red aril that grows around the nutmeg seed. In blade form it comes as flat, brittle, amber-coloured pieces. The flavour is similar to nutmeg but slightly more delicate and floral. One blade goes into the spice grinder with the other whole spices for this recipe. Find it at Indian grocery stores or spice shops. If you can’t source blade mace, a pinch of ground mace or a small amount of freshly grated nutmeg works as a substitute.

Equipment

• Chopping board
• Chef’s knife
• Large heavy-based pot with lid (braising and dum)
• Small food processor (ginger-garlic paste and spice mix)
• Large saucepan (par-cooking rice)
• Sieve
• Large tray (cooling par-cooked rice)
• Clean tea towel (for sealing the pot)