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Ground Beef Biryani with Cumin Raita Recipe

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★★★★★

4.5 from 69 reviews

This Ground Beef Biryani with Cumin Raita is a fragrant and flavorful one-pot Indian-inspired dish featuring tender spiced ground beef layered over aromatic basmati rice cooked with whole spices. The dish is complemented by a cooling cumin-flavored yogurt raita, making it a balanced, comforting meal perfect for any occasion.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Biryani

  • 1 ½ cups basmati rice, rinsed
  • 5 cardamom pods
  • 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
  • 2 whole cloves
  • 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
  • 3 tablespoons ghee, divided
  • ½ large white onion, thinly sliced (about 1 ½ cups)
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
  • 2 teaspoons garam masala
  • ½ teaspoon ground Kashmiri chile powder or ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon ground fennel
  • ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 1 star anise
  • ½ teaspoon cumin seeds, divided
  • 1 pound ground beef (preferably 20 percent fat)
  • ¾ cup Greek-style plain yogurt, divided
  • ¼ cup whole milk
  • ½ cup coarsely chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems, divided

For the Cumin Raita

  • Remaining ½ cup Greek-style plain yogurt
  • ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Cook the Rice: In a large Dutch oven, combine rinsed basmati rice, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, whole cloves, star anise, low-sodium chicken broth, and ½ teaspoon kosher salt over medium-high heat. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to low and cook covered for 10 minutes until the rice is partially cooked.
  2. Sauté Onions: While the rice cooks, heat 2 tablespoons of ghee in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add thinly sliced onions, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 2 more minutes until fragrant and well blended.
  3. Add Spices and Aromatics: Push the onion mixture to one side of the skillet and melt the remaining 1 tablespoon ghee on the empty side. Add minced garlic, minced ginger, garam masala, ground Kashmiri chile powder (or cayenne), ground fennel, turmeric, star anise, and ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds to the melted ghee. Stir continuously for about 30 seconds until spices are fragrant and blended.
  4. Cook the Ground Beef: Mix the spiced ghee blend into the onion mixture until fully combined. Add ground beef, season generously with salt and pepper, and cook over medium heat, stirring and breaking up the meat into small pieces, for about 3 minutes until the beef is no longer pink. Remove from heat and stir in ¼ cup of the yogurt until well incorporated.
  5. Assemble and Finish Cooking: Drizzle whole milk evenly over the partially cooked rice in the Dutch oven. Layer the cooked ground beef mixture evenly over the rice. Scatter half of the chopped cilantro on top. Cover the pot and cook over low heat until the beef is tender and the rice is fully cooked, approximately 8 minutes.
  6. Prepare Cumin Raita: In a small bowl, combine the remaining ½ cup yogurt, ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds, 2 tablespoons water, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix well to create a cool, spiced yogurt sauce.
  7. Serve: Gently fluff the biryani with a fork, discarding the star anise and any whole spices. Divide the biryani among four bowls and garnish with the remaining cilantro. Serve warm alongside the cumin raita for dipping.

Notes

  • Rinsing basmati rice helps remove excess starch and prevents it from becoming sticky.
  • Use low-sodium chicken broth to better control the salt level in the biryani.
  • If you prefer a spicier biryani, increase the cayenne or chili powder slightly.
  • Ghee adds authentic richness, but you can substitute with unsalted butter if needed.
  • This recipe can be made with ground lamb or turkey as alternative proteins.
  • For a vegetarian version, omit the beef and increase the quantity of onions and spices, adding vegetables like peas or carrots.

Keywords: Ground Beef Biryani, Indian Biryani, Spiced Rice, One-pot Meal, Indian Cuisine, Ground Beef Recipe

Find it online: https://thefoodrecipe.com/ground-beef-biryani-with-cumin-raita-recipe/