Curry and Rice

This is the heart of Karahi Table: six recipes that run from a 30-minute basmati rice to a lamb curry that simmers for 2 hours 30. The curries are butter chicken, chicken, beef and lamb; the rice dishes are a chicken biryani and a basmati guide; and everything is served with basmati rice.

Quick answer

Pick by time: butter chicken in 35 minutes; chicken curry in 55; beef curry in 1 hour 25; chicken biryani in 1 hour 15 plus at least 2 hours of marinating; lamb curry in 2 hours 30. Serve everything with basmati rice.

How to pick a curries and rice dish

Start with the time you have. Butter chicken takes 35 minutes and is the weeknight end of this pillar: charred chicken folded into a creamy tomato sauce. Basmati rice itself takes 30 minutes and is the base every other rice dish here stands on.

Biryani is the weekend end: Hyderabadi chicken biryani takes 1 hour 15 minutes plus at least 2 hours of marinating. It layers parboiled rice over meat that is already tender and finishes on dum — a sealed, low-heat steam.

The slow cook is lamb curry. Lamb curry simmers covered on low for 1 hour 30 minutes after a 2-hour yogurt marinade, 2 hours 30 in total, and is ready when two forks pull the meat apart.

What to serve with curries and rice

Basmati rice serves almost everything in this pillar: the rice soaks up sauce — butter chicken, chicken curry, beef curry and lamb curry all name it as the pairing. A simple kachumber salad of onion, tomato and cucumber adds crunch when you are feeding a crowd, and mango chutney adds sweetness beside a rich beef curry.

Chicken biryani is a complete meal on its own — layered rice and chicken, finished on dum — and needs nothing else on the plate.

Storage and reheating

Curries keep 3 to 5 days in a sealed container in the fridge — butter chicken and chicken curry 3 days, beef curry 4 days, lamb curry up to 5 days — and most of them taste better the next day, once the sauce has thickened and the spices have settled. Freeze portions for up to 3 months, thaw overnight in the fridge, and reheat gently in a covered pan over low heat with a splash of water until steaming hot throughout. Do not reheat the same portion twice.

Rice is shorter-lived: cooked basmati keeps up to 2 days in the fridge and 3 months in the freezer. Chicken biryani keeps up to a day in the fridge in a sealed container. Cool rice within 2 hours of cooking, reheat it covered with a splash of water, and never leave it at room temperature overnight.

Pakistani vs Indian version

Biryani differs by style — Karachi biryani is spicier and potato-led, Hyderabadi biryani is layered and saffron-led. The recipes in this pillar follow the Pakistani versions: Hyderabadi chicken biryani, layered and saffron-led, and dhaba-style chicken curry with no coconut.

Techniques and pantry

The methods behind these dishes are explained on our Desi Cooking 101 hub (especially bhuna, dum and yakhni), and the spice blends on the Desi pantry hub, with karahi masala and biryani masala of their own.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I make beef tender for curry?

Use chuck, cut into 2.5 cm cubes, brown it hard, then simmer it low for 45 minutes until fork-tender. Small cubes are what make the shorter hob time work, and the fat in chuck melts during the simmer and keeps the meat moist. Lean cuts dry out and turn stringy, so do not swap them in to save time.

What is the best curry to make with lamb?

A slow lamb curry made with boneless shoulder. Marinate 900 g of shoulder in yogurt and spices for at least 2 hours, brown it, then fry onions, ground spices and tomatoes in ghee and simmer covered on low for 1 hour 30 minutes, plus 15 minutes uncovered. The lamb is ready when two forks pull it apart easily.

How do I cook lamb curry so it stays tender?

Marinate the lamb in yogurt for at least 2 hours, then simmer it covered on low for 1 hour 30 minutes. Brown the meat before adding tomatoes, because acid added too early toughens it, and keep the heat low — a rolling boil tightens the fibres. Test with two forks: when the meat pulls apart easily, it is ready.

What is biryani?

Biryani is marinated meat at the bottom of a pot, parboiled basmati rice layered over it, and a sealed lid — the dum — so the rice finishes cooking in the steam and aromas of the meat below. The layers stay separate until serving, when the pot is opened and the rice is fluffed through the chicken.

How to make biryani rice

Rinse 400 g of basmati until the water runs clear and soak it for 30 minutes. Parboil it for 5 minutes in salted water with bay, cloves, cumin and cardamom, until about 70% cooked, then drain. Layer it over the chicken with saffron milk and ghee, seal the pot and dum on the lowest heat for 20 to 25 minutes.

How do I make beef curry in a slow cooker?

Cook beef curry in a slow cooker on low for 6 to 8 hours, or on high for 4 hours. Use 2 cups of stock, because the lid traps steam and the sauce will not reduce. You can skip browning, though it costs a tenth of the flavour, and use chuck in 2.5 cm cubes so the meat turns fork-tender.

What is biryani rice?

Biryani rice is a dish made from basmati, not a separate grain. The rice is parboiled with whole spices — bay, cloves, cumin and cardamom — then layered over marinated chicken and finished in the sealed dum, so the grains carry biryani flavour. Our recipe uses 400 g of aged basmati to 500 g of chicken thighs.

What are the main ingredients in chicken curry?

Chicken curry starts with 750 g of bone-in chicken, two onions, a bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves and neutral oil. The masala is ginger-garlic and tomatoes cooked down with ground spices, plus yogurt and hot water for the simmer. Finish with garam masala. The boneless weeknight version uses breast and ground spices only, and takes 30 minutes in total.

How do you make a simple chicken curry?

Use the weeknight version: boneless breast, ground spices only, and 30 minutes in total. Skip the whole spices, fry one onion instead of two, and use the same tomato-ginger-garlic base. Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces and simmer covered for about 12 minutes, then serve it the same way, with rice, naan and raita on the side.

How to cook biryani rice

Cook biryani rice in two stages: parboil, then dum. Rinse and soak 400 g of aged basmati for 30 minutes, parboil it for 5 minutes in salted water until about 70% cooked, then drain. Layer it over the chicken, seal the pot with a tea towel under the lid, and cook on the lowest heat for 20 to 25 minutes.