Lamb Biryani in Richmond: What to Look For

Biryani is the hardest thing on an Indian menu to fake. Curry can hide behind cream and spice, but biryani is rice - and badly cooked rice has nowhere to go. Here is what to look for, and how we make ours in Richmond.

The Three Tests of a Good Biryani

First, look at the rice. Every grain of basmati should be separate, long and intact. If the rice is clumped, broken or uniformly orange, it was stirred into a sauce rather than layered and steamed.

Second, taste the spice in the rice itself, not just the meat. In a proper dum biryani the rice is layered over the meat and sealed, so the steam carries cardamom, clove, bay and saffron up through the whole pot. If the rice is bland and only the meat is seasoned, it is a rice pilaf with curry on top.

Third, check the meat. Lamb should pull apart under a fork without being dry or stringy. Slow cooking is what gets you there - there is no shortcut.

How Ginger Makes Biryani

Our Biryani is slow-cooked in the traditional dum style with fragrant basmati, aromatic spices and herbs, and finished with crispy fried onions. It is available with vegetables, chicken, lamb or shrimp, so a table can order across the range and share.

We serve it with Raita, which is the point of raita - the cool yogurt resets your palate between forkfuls so the spice keeps landing. A side of Kachumber, our Indian salsa, adds acidity and crunch.

Biryani is one of the dishes our regulars order for groups, and it travels well, which makes it a common pick for catering and office lunches around Richmond.

Ordering Biryani in Richmond

You will find Biryani in the Rice section of our menu alongside Basmati Rice, Jeera Rice and Pilau Rice. Order online for pickup or delivery, or dine in at 9100 Blundell Rd #490 inside Garden City Shopping Centre, where parking is free.

For larger groups, our dining room accommodates up to 80-90 guests and we take reservations. Biryani plus a couple of curries, a bread basket and raita is the format most family tables land on.

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