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Hot & Spicy Slow Cooked Lamb Biryani

A tender, spicy, lamb dish packed full of flavour. Combine it with coconut yoghurt for a beautiful contrast.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Standing Time 10 minutes
Total Time 5 hours 10 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Spice Mix
  • 2x3 cm Fresh Ginger
  • 3 Garlic Cloves
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Black Pepper
  • 1 tsp Gochugaru (or red chilli powder)
  • 1/2 tsp Paprika
  • 3 tsp Garam Masala
  • 2 tsp Ground Coriander (Cilantro)
  • 2 tsp Cumin
  • 1/2 tsp Cinnamon
  • 450 grams Diced Lamb
For the Dish
  • 2 tbsp Olive Oil
  • 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
  • 2 Large Red Onions (or 3 small)
  • 4 Tomatoes
  • 3 Bay Leaves
  • 500 ml Vegetable Stock
  • 2 handfuls Spinach
To Serve Alongside
  • 300 grams Basmati Rice
  • 125 ml Coconut Yoghurt (see notes below)

Method
 

For the Slow Cooker
  1. Pull the lamb out of the fridge so it can come to room temperature before it's cooked.
  2. Peel the ginger and chop it into tiny pieces. Crush the garlic cloves. Mix them together with all the spices in a bowl. Add the lamb and make sure each piece is covered in the spice mix.
  3. Slice the onions into thin half moon slices.
  4. Chop the tomatoes into quarters. Remove the seeds and throw them away. Then chop the tomatoes into bitesize pieces.
  5. Heat the olive oil to a high heat in a pan. Add the cumin seeds and fry them until they sizzle. Then add the onions and continue stirring until they are soft and browned.
  6. Add the lamb and tomatoes to the pan and fry for 2 minutes. Then move the entire mix into the slow cooker.
  7. Cook in the slow cooker for 4 hours on high heat or 8 hours on low.
After the Slow Cooker
  1. Rinse the rice thoroughly.
  2. Add the bay leaves, the still uncooked rice, and the vegetable stock to the slow cooker. Stir well, cover, and continue slow cooking for 20 minutes.
  3. Chop the spinach into small, bite sized pieces.
  4. Turn off the heat. Add the spinach to the slow cooker, mixing it in to the meal. Replace the lid and leave it to stand for 10 minutes. This allows the rice to fluff up.
  5. Serve alongside a portion of coconut yoghurt.

Notes

Coconut Yoghurt - Is It Processed/Healthy/Whole Food?

Coconut yogurt should contain just two ingredients: full fat coconut milk, and active probiotics. Be careful when purchasing from a shop, as some coconut yoghurts will have additives such as starch, salt, or sugar. For more information about coconut yoghurt, check out this great blog post by Greatist.
If you'd like to make your own coconut yoghurt, the process is pretty straight forward. Check out this blog post by the Minimalist Baker.