Recipe: Brendan Pang’s Comforting Mauritian Biryani Will Feed a Crowd

Biryani is one of the world’s most diverse and widespread dishes. Though versions of it can be found across the Indian subcontinent, West Africa and Southeast Asia, the core concept remains the same: long-grain rice, meat or vegetables, and a complex spice base.

In Mauritius, an independent island nation off the southeastern coast of East Africa, biryani is an example of the country’s vibrant cuisine: a blend of African, Indian, Chinese and European (mainly French) influences due to a long history of colonisation and labour migration.

In his fourth book, This Is a Book About Rice, Masterchef star Brendan Pang serves a bunch of classic Mauritian recipes he grew up with, including bol renversé, crab bouillon and, of course, biryani – “a richly spiced, comforting dish that is perfect for feeding a crowd”.

“The beef is cooked until tender, and the fragrant rice soaks up all the spices, creating a dish that’s bursting with flavour,” he writes. “It’s a show stopper at any dinner table, with the layers of meat, potatoes and rice all coming together in perfect harmony.”

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Brendan Pang’s Mauritian beef and potato biryani 

Serves 6–8
Preparation time: 45 minutes, plus 1 hour to marinate
Cooking time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients

Beef marinade
496g beef chuck or brisket, cubed
240g yoghurt
3 cloves garlic, minced
8g fresh ginger, grated
2 tsp biryani spice blend
½ tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp salt

Biryani
90ml vegetable oil, divided
2 large potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 large onions, sliced
2 tomatoes, chopped
406g uncooked basmati rice, rinsed, then soaked in water for 30 minutes
¼ tsp saffron strands, soaked in 40ml warm milk

To serve
Fresh coriander, chopped
Fried onions

Method

In a medium-sized bowl, mix the beef cubes with the yoghurt, garlic, ginger, biryani spice blend, turmeric and salt. Let marinate for at least 1 hour.

In a large heavy-bottomed pot, heat 60ml of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes and fry, stirring occasionally, until golden around the edges, 5–6 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Add the remaining 30ml of the oil to the same pot, then fry the onions until soft, 5–6 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook until softened, 5–6 minutes. Add the marinated beef, cover, and cook for 30–40 minutes, or until the beef is tender.

In a medium-sized pot, boil the soaked rice in salted water until half-cooked, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

In a separate large pot, layer the beef and potatoes at the bottom. Add the rice on top and drizzle with the saffron milk. Cover and steam over low heat for 20–25 minutes.

Garnish with fresh coriander and fried onions. Serve warm.

Notes

To make your own biryani spice blend, combine: 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp ground coriander, 1 tsp garam masala, ½ tsp ground turmeric, ½ tsp chilli powder, ¼ tsp ground cinnamon, ¼ tsp ground cardamom (or seeds from 3 green pods) and a pinch of ground cloves or allspice.

This is an edited extract from This Is A Book About Rice by Brendan Pang. Published by Page Street Publishing Co (RRP $46.99). Photography by Kidensha Film & Photography Studio, Taiwan, China.