The rice-based dish called biryani has numerous variations when it comes to both ingredients and cooking methods. It’s the unique preparation that gives this recipe its particular flavour and originality. This steamed version is not a traditional method on Reunion Island. It comes instead from a 200-year old Indian tradition that had been forgotten for some time. On Reunion Island, biryani is a dish of the Indo-Muslim community, originally from Goujerat. I hope that members of this community – and everyone else – will enjoy this method in which the ingredients are steamed under a dough lid, which preserves all the ingredients’ subtle and distinct flavours, while also being a healthy and light cooking method. It’s worth the extra effort!

Preparing the meat 

1. Mash the ginger and garlic together to make a paste.
   Cut the onions into thin slices; chop the mint and cilantro coarsely.
2. Grind the mace (or grate the nutmeg) and dissolve the saffron in a few drops of water.
3. Heat the ghee in a skillet; sauté the onions.
4. Add the mutton and the ginger-garlic paste. Stir for one minute.
5. Add two cloves, 2 cardamom pods, half the cinnamon stick and some salt. Sauté the meat, then add the chili and the yogurt. Add a little water if necessary for the meat to cook.
6. Remove the meat from the sauce once it is cooked and add the mace to the sauce along with the lemon juice and chopped mint and cilantro leaves. Stir to make a smooth sauce.
7. Return the mutton to the sauce and add the cumin.

Preparing the rice

1. Wash and rinse the rice. Cook in water with a little salt and the remaining cloves cardamom pods and cinnamon.
2. When the rice is half-cooked, drain and set aside.

Making the dough

1. Combine the flour, ground cardamom and water to make a dough.

Cooking

1. In an ovenproof dish, place the mutton and sauce, and then the half-cooked rice sprinkled with the dissolved saffron. Seal the dish tightly with the dough, and brush the top with egg yolk.
2. Finally, place the dish into a preheated 180° C (350° F) oven for about 20 minutes. The crust should be nicely browned.
3. Present the dish on the table and break open the crust to release all the delicious aromas.

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In collaboration with Philippe and Judy Pratx