Goat Biryani Recipe

One of our dear old family friends begged me to teach her how to make biryani. This week, she came over and I shared our treasured family recipe. I've learned several variations of biryani over the years, but this goat meat version from Pali Apa's (Lulu's aunt) is my favorite. As a bonus, it's probably the easiest to start with when learning how to make biryani. The key to the dish is the freshness of the meat, but it's also important that the rice is flavorful and fluffy and each grain separates easily. 

This might be surprising, but biryani is probably one of the most praised and popular Indian dishes in Vietnam. There is a small Indian expat community in Saigon, and they have been selling this dish as street food for many years. Love for this dish outside of the subcontinent is not just limited to Vietnam. Many times when we have company, I've been asked how to make this traditional Hyderabadi (the city where my husband's family is from) delicacy. So if you've been searching for a good biryani recipe, give this a try, and if you've never had it before, you're in for a treat.

Fusion Raita (Indian Yogurt Sauce)

Raita (click on the link for the traditional version) is an Indian condiment made with yogurt. It is paired with a lot of spicy dishes like biryani, tandoori chicken or vegetarian cutlets because dairy products have a cooling effect when food is extremely spicy. If you follow Ted Allen's show, Food Detectives, you've probably seen the premier episode which asks "What is the best way to cool your mouth after eating spicy food?" After some experimentation it was clear that dairy was the most effective.

This particular recipe is my take on traditional raita. Similar to the Greek sauce called tzatziki, I add dill, lemon, and olive oil. Being French, I also add some Dijon mustard to add some more complexity to the flavor. 

I know, some people are going to balk at my additions, but I think that sauces are the highlight of a meal, so why not enhance them with a lot of flavor? Sometimes I also add cilantro or dill, depending on what's available in my garden. I'll try to post the traditional recipe soon so that you can make your own variations to your taste.