Shyam’s Goat Biryani

Ingredients

• 1.5 pounds goat meat
• 1.25 cups plain Greek yogurt, stirred
• 6 pitted prunes, or more to taste
• 3.5 tablespoons diced fresh ginger
• 1.25 tablespoons garlic paste
• 1.5 teaspoons salt, or to taste
• 1.5 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1.5 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 0.5 teaspoon ground red chile pepper
• 0.25 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 0.25 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1.25 pounds basmati rice
• 1.5 cups unsalted butter
• 6 onions, thinly sliced
• 4 ripe tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 4 potatoes, peeled and quartered
• 1.5 cups cold water, or more as needed
• 12 cups water
• 3 tablespoons salt
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 4 bay leaves, or more to taste

Steps

1. Combine goat meat, yogurt, prunes, ginger, garlic paste, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, cumin, black pepper, turmeric, ground chile pepper, cinnamon, and cloves in a bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap; marinate in the refrigerator, 8 to 14 hours.
2. Rinse rice under lukewarm water 2 times, then place in a pot. Cover with enough cold water to reach 1 ¼- to 1 ½- inches above rice; soak for 1 hour.
3. Melt 1 ½ cups butter in a large skillet over low heat. Add onions; cook and stir until translucent and golden, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes; cook and stir until oil separates and rises to the surface, 5 to 10 minutes.
4. Add goat meat mixture and potatoes to onion mixture; cook and stir until meat is browned and cooked through, 20 to 30 minutes. Pour in 1 ½ cups cold water (or enough to cover) goat meat mixture; cook until meat is tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Increase heat to medium; cook, stirring frequently, until oil separates from mixture, about 5 minutes. Decrease heat to low and keep warm.
5. Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F (135 degrees C).
6. Bring 12 cups water, 3 tablespoons salt, and 1 tablespoon butter to a boil in a large pot for 3 to 4 minutes. Drain rice; add to boiling water and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat; carefully drain water.
7. Spoon ½ rice into a large baking dish; top with ½ goat meat mixture. Arrange 2 bay leaves on goat meat mixture. Repeat layering with remaining ½ each rice, goat meat mixture, and bay leaves. Cover dish with aluminum foil.
8. Bake in the preheated oven until rice is fully cooked, 30 to 40 minutes.