Sindh's signature biryani · Tangy and spicy

Sindhi Lamb Biryani Recipe (with Aloo and Aloo Bukhara)

Tangy masala. 70 percent rice. Sealed dum.

Farwa ZeeshanRecipe by Farwa ZeeshanTested in the NineFoods home kitchen

Sindhi biryani is the tangiest, spiciest Pakistani biryani, with potatoes, dried plums, tomatoes and plenty of green chillies. It fails when the mutton stays tough or the rice turns mushy. The fix is cooking the mutton fully in the masala first, boiling rice to 70 percent and sealing the pot for dum.

Prep30m
Cook1h 50m
Servings6
kcal / serving620
LevelMedium
Jump to the method

The 3 laws of sindhi lamb biryani

Why this recipe works

Cook mutton fully

Raw in layers

Mutton will not soften on dum.

70 percent rice

Fully cooked rice

Rice finishes on dum.

Seal the lid

Loose lid

Trapped steam cooks the rice.

Shopping and prep list

Ingredients

Servings
Tap items as you gather them · 0 of 0 ready

Mutton masala

Rice and layering

The NineFoods rice gauge

Is the rice ready to drain?

Press a grain between your fingers.

Tap a stage to see what to do.

Method · 5 stages

Step by step

1

Fry onions

Medium · 12 min
  1. Fry onions golden and lift out half for layering.
Look for: golden onions.
12:00
2

Mutton masala

Medium, then low · 60 min
  1. Add ginger garlic, mutton, yogurt, biryani masala and salt; bhuno.
  2. Add 2 cups water, cover and cook until tender; add potatoes and plums for the last 20 minutes.
Look for: tender mutton, thick masala.
60:00
3

Boil rice

High · 7 min
  1. Boil rice in salted water with whole spices.
  2. Use the gauge above.
Look for: 70 percent cooked rice.
07:00
4

Layer

No heat · 5 min
  1. Layer masala, rice, tomato slices, chillies, mint, fried onion and colour.
  2. Repeat and sprinkle kewra.
Look for: two neat layers.
05:00
5

Dum

Lowest, sealed · 20 min
  1. Seal the pot with foil and lid.
  2. Cook on a tawa over the lowest heat.
Look for: steam escaping, fluffy rice.
20:00

Chef's troubleshooter

What went wrong? Pick the symptom

Why

Not cooked fully.

Fix next time

Cook the mutton until tender before layering.

Why

Overboiled.

Fix next time

Drain at 70 percent.

Why

Lid not sealed.

Fix next time

Seal with foil and sprinkle 3 tbsp water.

Why

Too many plums or tomatoes.

Fix next time

Use fewer aloo bukhara next time.

Swap smart

Ingredient roles and substitutes

IngredientJob in the dishSwap with
MuttonMainChicken, cook 30 minutes
Aloo bukharaSweet tangDried apricots
Biryani masalaSpiceHomemade garam masala plus chilli
KewraAromaRose water

After the meal

Serve, store, reheat

Serve with

Raita and kachumber salad.

Store

Fridge 3 days, freezer 2 months.

Reheat

Sprinkle water, cover and steam on low.

How we tested this recipe

Tested in a home kitchen, not a studio

Farwa Zeeshan

Recipe developed and tested by Farwa Zeeshan, who cooks and tests every NineFoods recipe on a regular home stove.

  • Cooked from start to finish with the exact quantities above for 6 servings, using both the metric and US cup measures.
  • Every one of the 5 stages was timed at the stove; heat levels and the 'look for' cues are what we saw in the pan.
  • The doneness check (is the rice ready to drain) and the troubleshooter come from batches that went wrong, and how we fixed them.
  • Reheating and storage advice was checked on leftovers, not guessed.

Read our full testing process

Keep cooking

Related recipes and guides

All Pakistani recipesHow to Cook Perfect Basmati RiceHow to Fry OnionsHow to Make Ginger Garlic Paste

Quick answers

Sindhi Lamb Biryani FAQ

What makes biryani Sindhi?

Potatoes, dried plums, tomatoes and lots of green chillies give it a tangy, spicy taste.

Can I use chicken?

Yes. Cook chicken in the masala for 30 minutes.

Why are there plums in Sindhi biryani?

Aloo bukhara adds a sweet and sour tang.

How long is dum?

About 20 minutes on the lowest heat.