Mix raw lamb with yogurt and spices and put it at the bottom of an instant pot. Add rice and water on top. Press a button and cook. That’s it. The result: tender pieces of lamb with perfectly cooked, separate grains of basmati rice.
What is Lamb Biryani?
There are so, so many different types of biryani out there. Every region, heck every household, makes its own version of this dish. What many traditional recipes seem to have in common though, is that they’re all fussy. Cooking biryani is way more complicated than it needs to be. I’ve watched family members spend hours making this dish, using lots of pots to partially cook the rice or meat then layering and baking it or cooking it together over low heat. So much fuss.
A Fuss-Free Instant Pot Biryani
I certainly have an appreciation for traditional cooking methods and doubt my streamlined recipe can surpass your great grandma’s beloved biryani, but there’s a time and place for that. That place is not here on my blog. Mom of two here. 🙋🏽♀️
I do not have six hours of spare time to spend making biryani. You know what I do have? 5 minutes.
So that’s what I’m working with. This pour and cook biryani recipe requires just 5 minutes of hands-on time.
You know that proverb, “necessity is the mother of invention”? Well, what’s necessary to me, a mother of two littles, is to feed my family healthy, homemade Indian food while reserving what limited energy I have left to play dinosaur chase with my two little boys. 🦕🦖👦🏽👶🏽
(Dinosaur chase… you know, when you pretend to be a dinosaur and roar at your children while they run/waddle away from you while squealing with both fear and delight).
How to Cook Lamb and Rice at the Same Time
Prior to coming up with this recipe, I shared another lamb biryani recipe which calls for brown basmati rice. Brown basmati rice requires a longer cook time which works well with red meat because both the rice and meat can cook in the same amount of time. The thing is, I also want a lamb biryani using white basmati rice. So I came up with this one, which calls for briefly marinating the meat with yogurt and lemon juice (both are acidic), which help to tenderize the meat. We’re also cutting the meat into bite-sized (1-inch) pieces. This is how we can get away with a 6 minute cook time with a natural release. The natural release takes around half an hour, which is also why I suggest rinsing the basmati rice rather than soaking it beforehand. I use and love aahu barah basmati rice for my biryani recipes. The type/brand of basmati that you use can make a big difference – this brand keeps its shape, remains separate, and is wonderfully fragrant.
Can I use Goat Meat instead of Lamb?
Now, I know some of you might be wondering if you can substitute goat meat for lamb. I haven’t tried but my guess would be no. Goat meat requires a longer cook time than lamb. I highly doubt goat meat will work in this recipe. I hope you love this fuss-free biryani. I hope you think it’s the best biryani you’ve ever had. One thing is for sure, it’ll be the easiest biryani you’ll ever make. Like this recipe? Pin it to your favorite Pinterest board now so you will remember to make it later!
