Turkey Biryani
Ingredients
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 6 cloves garlic
- 1 knob fresh ginger
- 4 medium onions
- ⅓ cup raw cashews
- 4 cups leftover turkey, shredded
- 1 cup whole-fat yogurt
- 3 T garam masala (divided)
- 2 t kosher salt
- 1 T tomato paste
- 1½ t ground coriander
- 1 t cayenne
- 1 t cumin
- 4 T ghee (divided)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 6 whole cloves
- 1 t ground cardamom
- 1 cup whole milk
- ⅔ cup raisins
- fresh parsley
- fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Rinse basmati rice - Rinse the basmati rice under cold running water until the water runs clear.
- Prep the veg and the cashews - Peel and finely chop the garlic. Mince the ginger. Peel and slice the onions across the equator. Chop the cashews.
- Combine turkey mixture - In a medium bowl, combine the shredded turkey, the garlic, ginger, yogurt, 2 T of garam masala, kosher salt, 1 T tomato paste, ground coriander, cayenne powder, and cumin.
- Caramelize the onions - Melt the ghee in a heavy, oven-safe pot with a lid. Add the onions and cook, stirring often, util the onions are golden and starting to become browned on the edges. This will take some time, but it will smell heavenly! Remove half of the onions and drain them on a paper towel.
- Par-cook the rice - While you're caramelizing the onions, add the rice, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, cloves (I put them in a tea strainer for ease of retrieval) and cardamom to a medium saucepan, 3/4 filled with water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the rice is mostly cooked through, about 5 minutes. Drain the rice, remove and discard the bay leaves, cinnamon stick, cloves, and cardamom pods. Set the rice aside aside.
- Preheat the oven and build the biryani - Preheat the oven to 350℉. Melt 2 additional T of ghee in the pot with the onions, then stir in the turkey mixture and cook gently, until the turkey is warmed through. Stir in the milk and bring to a gentle simmer. Top with the rice in an even layer, and sprinkle this layer with the raisins. Cover and bake for 20 minutes.
- Finish - Remove the pot from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes or so. While the biryani is resting, chop the parsley and cilantro. Uncover, spread the reserved onions across the top, and garnish with the cashews, parsley, and cilantro.
