Aktar Islam’s Short-Rib Biryani

Welcome back to Like a Chef; lifting the lid on restaurant cooking for you at home.

This week, we received a schooling on how to make the best curry we’ve ever eaten, taught by the incredible Aktar Islam. Getting his recipe was like striking gold, and today we’re sharing it with you. Subscribe for more recipes like this, as well as more in-depth pieces to help you learn how to cook at home, like a chef.

Jack & Will

Fish and Chips. Yorkshire Pudding. Beef Wellington. Biryani? The beloved Indian curry has found a new home amongst some of the most loved dishes in Britain, though (embarrassingly) it’s one I (Jack) had never attempted to cook. If you’d asked me why, I’d maybe have said I couldn’t be bothered. The truth? I was probably quite intimidated. I love Indian food, but it’s not my go-to cuisine: it relies on a flavour base unfamiliar to me. I have never been shown how to approach it, the way I was trained in European food.

If I was going to correct the blind spot and learn biryani, I was going to do it the proper way. I got in touch with my good friend Aktar Islam (Bangladeshi-Brummie 2 Michelin Star restauranter and icon). His advice, verbatim? If you’re scared of cooking biryani, get over it! Gotta love the softly, softly approach. Thankfully Aktar followed it up with getting into the kitchen with me and showing me how to make his own ultimate biryani, built with layers of richly marinated and braised beef short rib. It was, without a doubt, the best curry I’ve ever eaten. And, since Aktar is not just a great chef but also an all round good guy, he’s let us share the recipe here for you to make at home. Team, don’t sleep on this one.

Equipment:

• Wide pan

• Blender

Stage 1 – Base Preparation

Ingredients

• 1.5kg Onion deep fried till golden (approx. 500 g yield)

• 3kg Beef rib (off the bone)

• 225g Garlic & Ginger (50/50 blend)

• 45g Kashmiri chilli powder

• 10g Turmeric powder

• 45g Coriander powder

• 20g Cumin powder

• 30g Garam masala or Biryani Masala (below)

• 10g Green chilli

• 600g Ripe tomato

• 750g Yoghurt

• 30g Salt

• 50g Coriander stalk

House Biryani Masala (Blend) but you can use your preferred garam masala if you like:

• 45g Coriander seeds

• 30g Cumin seeds

• 9g Shahi jeera (black cumin)

• 21g Fennel seeds

• 30g Black peppercorns

• 9g Green cardamom pods

• 9g Black cardamom pods

• 10g Cinnamon stick

• 3g Cloves

• 22.5g Mace

• 3 g Whole nutmeg, grated

• 7.5g Star anise

• 7.5g Cassia leaves

• 9g Stone flower/Dagad Phool (optional but authentic)

• 9g Rose petals (optional but authentic)

• 9g Dried Kashmiri chillies

Method for Masala:

1. Dry Roast: Roast all spices on low heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously.

2. Cool: Transfer to a plate and let cool completely.

3. Grind: Blend to a fine, aromatic powder.

Method for stage 1

1. Combine beef rib with garlic ginger paste, spices, tomato, yoghurt, and salt.

2. Add fried 200g fried onions and coriander stalks.

3. Mix thoroughly, marinate overnight and set aside for cooking.

Stage 2 – Aromatic fat base and braise

Ingredients

• 250g Ghee / Beef fat (70/30 ratio

• 2.5 Black cumin

• 8 Green cardamom

• 8 Black cardamom

• 4 Cassia leaf (see notes)

• 3” Cassia bark (see notes)

• 4g Black peppercorn

• 3 whole mace

• 2 Star anise

• 5 cloves

• 4lt Beef stock

• 5g Methi (fenugreek)

• Lemon juice to taste

• Handful mint leaves roughly chopped

• Handful coriander leaves roughly chopped

Method for stage 2

1. Heat ghee and beef fat blend.

2. Add whole spices and sauté until aromatic.

3. Add marinated beef along with all the marinade, cook out until fat splits.

4. Add beef stock, cover and simmer for 2.5/3 hours until the beef is tender.

5. Finish with methi, lemon juice, mint and coriander.

Stage 3 - Rice preparation

Ingredients

• 2kg Sella basmati rice

• 60g Garlic & ginger

• 1 Mace blade, or ½ blade ground mace

• 3 Black peppercorns

• 2 Star anise

• 4 Green cardamom

• 2 Bay leaf

• Juice of ½ a lemon

• 160g Salt

• 7lt Water

Method for stage 3

1. Wash and soak rice for 20 mins

2. Boil water with spices, lemon juice and salt

3. Add the rice and cook for 5 mins until 70% cooked (rice is nutty) remove half drain, then allow the rest for a further 2 minutes to cook to 90% (looks cooked but is firm)

4. Drain, remove hard spices and set aside for layering.

Stage 4 - Assembly and dum cooking

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp Kewra water (buy it here)

• 50ml Ghee

• Pinch of saffron infused in 75ml warm milk (Saffron is optional, but authentic)

• Bunch mint

• Bunch coriander

• Whole lemon sliced into wheels

Method for stage 4

1. Skim the Fat: Once the curried beef is cooked, skim off some of the excess fat from the top and reserve it for finishing.

2. First Layer: In the biryani pot (wide pots work best), spread the curried beef evenly across the base. Add the first layer of rice (cooked to 70%) over the beef. Sprinkle with biryani masala, chopped mint, chopped coriander and a generous pinch of biryani masala

3. Second Layer: Add the second layer of rice (cooked to 90%) over the top. Using a spoon, drizzle some of the reserved curried beef fat evenly across the rice. Sprinkle with generous pinch of biryani masala

4. Saffron Milk Infusion: Sprinkle the saffron milk over the rice for colour and aroma.

5. Final Garnish: Finish with another layer of fresh herbs (mint and coriander) and lemon slices. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of kewra water across the top.

6. Sealing the Pot: Cover with a damp cloth and lid or seal the rim with a couple layers of tightly wrapped foil to trap steam. Place the pot on moderate heat for 5 minutes, then reduce to low heat and cook for 20 minutes.

7. Resting: Remove from heat and allow the biryani to rest for 20 minutes before opening. This resting period lets the flavours settle and the rice finish steaming.

8. To Serve: Carefully remove the lid. Using a spatula, go right to the bottom and gently fluff the biryani, lifting rice and meat together without breaking the grains. Serve hot, ensuring each portion carries both rice and beef.

• We recommend Ren’s spices - she’s the ultimate in delicious and varied spices like cassia leaves and bark. If you can’t find any, try substituting with 2-3 cinnamon sticks instead.

• If you don’t want to go to the lengths of making it, you can order Aktar’s biryani and have it delivered right to your doorstep

Thanks for reading!

Jack & Will

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