Karachi Khatri Beef Biryani

Step 1: Prepare the Tomato Base

In a large pot, add 200 grams of clarified butter or oil. Then add 1 kg of roughly sliced red tomatoes. Add 2 tablespoons each of ginger-garlic paste and green chili paste. Sauté these ingredients for 2-3 minutes until the tomatoes soften.

Step 2: Add Powdered Spices

Add 2 tablespoons of chili flakes, 1 tablespoon of turmeric powder, and 1 tablespoon of salt (or to taste) to the pot. Mix well.

Step 3: Add Whole Spices

Incorporate 1 tablespoon of crushed coriander seeds, 3 black cardamoms, 7-8 green cardamoms, ½ teaspoon of black peppercorns, 1 tablespoon of cumin seeds, a 2-inch cinnamon stick, 2-3 star anise, 2 bay leaves, and ½ teaspoon of cloves. Sauté for about a minute to release their aromas.

Step 4: Cook the Beef

Add 1 kg of beef mix boti to the pot. Sauté the beef with the spices for 2-3 minutes until it changes color. Pour in 2.5 glasses of water, cover the pot, and let the beef tenderize to about 80%. Do not cook it completely.

Step 5: Prepare Rice Water

In a separate large pot, bring 3-3.5 liters of water to a rolling boil. Add 10-12 curry leaves, a 1-inch cinnamon stick, 2-3 bay leaves, 2 star anise, 5-6 tablespoons of salt, 2 tablespoons of clarified butter or oil, 1 tablespoon of kewra water, 2 tablespoons of vinegar, 6 medium green chilies, and 1 lemon slice.

Step 6: Boil Rice in Two Stages

Add 1 kg of washed and soaked basmati sella rice to the boiling water. Keep the flame high. After 4-5 minutes, when the rice is 50% cooked (it should break into two pieces), remove about half of the rice and set aside. Also, reserve 2 cups of the boiled rice water. Continue boiling the remaining rice for another 2-3 minutes until it is 80% cooked, then drain and set aside.

Step 7: Finish Beef Gravy

Check the beef; it should be 80% tender. Turn off or slow down the flame. Add 200 grams of yogurt to the beef and mix quickly to prevent curdling. Turn the flame to medium and sauté for 3-4 minutes until the oil separates from the gravy.

Step 8: Layer the Biryani

Reduce the flame to slow. Layer the beef gravy with ¾ cup chopped fresh coriander, ¾ cup chopped fresh mint leaves, ¾ cup fried onion, 12-15 curry leaves, and 2 lemon slices. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon of garam masala powder over the layers. Then, spread the 50% half-cooked rice over this layer, followed by the 80% boiled rice.

Step 9: Add Finishing Touches and Dum

Pour the 2 cups of reserved rice water over the rice layers. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of clarified butter. Add 1 tablespoon of Zafrani kewra. For color, add a pinch of yellow food color mixed with 1-2 tablespoons of water or milk, and a pinch of orange food color mixed with 1-2 tablespoons of water or milk, in different spots on the rice. Cover the pot with a cloth-wrapped lid, place a heavy object on top, and put it on a preheated tawa. Cook on medium flame for 5 minutes, then reduce to low (dum) flame for 8-10 minutes. After dum, turn off the flame and let it rest for another 5-8 minutes before gently mixing.

Step 10: Serve

Serve the biryani by first scooping out a layer of plain rice from the bottom, then adding the masala-rich rice from the top. Do not fully mix the biryani in the pot. Garnish with green chilies and star anise. Enjoy with raita and salad.

• Do not completely tenderize the beef; aim for 80% tenderness as it will continue to cook during the dum process.

• When boiling rice, ensure the flame is high from start to finish for perfectly separated grains.

• After the biryani is on dum, do not immediately open the lid or mix the rice; let it rest for 5-8 minutes to prevent breaking the rice grains.

• You can adjust the spice levels by increasing or decreasing the amount of green chili paste and chili flakes.