Beef Biryani Igloos
Makes 4 large igloos
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2 tablespoons oil
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1 kg/2 lb beef, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces
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6 cloves garlic, grated
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1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
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6 tablespoons biryani paste
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1 c plain low-fat yogurt
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1 bay leaf
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½ cup golden raisins
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2 medium-large onions, thinly sliced
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3 medium-large green bell peppers, thinly sliced
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Basmati rice (for serving) I used smoked rice
Step 1 - In a 5 quart pot with a lid, heat the oil on high heat; add the beef and cook for 2-4 minutes until browned. Add the garlic, ginger, and biryani paste and sauté for about a minute. Add the yogurt and bay leaf and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add about 3 cups of water, cover the pot, bring it up to a boil, then turn it down to a simmer and let it cook for an hour. ** **
Step 2 - Add the raisins to the beef and cook for 30-60 minutes until much of the water has evaporated out (see picture below). If the water isnt evaporating out fast enough, you can leave the lid ajar to allow the steam to escape. Add the onions and peppers and cook on medium for 30 minutes until there is little if any liquid in the pot (see picture below).
Step 3 - To Serve Beef Biryani Stuffed Inside Basmati Rice: Lightly spray cooking spray inside a bowl (the bowl should be about the size of a bowl you would eat your morning cereal out of), then lightly sprinkle turmeric inside the bowl. Press cooked basmati rice onto the bottom and up the sides of the bowl, making sure to press hard enough so that the rice is packed. Add biryani to fill the well in the center of the rice, then add rice to cover the biryani, again, making sure to firmly pack the rice. Turn the rice out on to a plate, carefully twisting the bowl off to remove it.