'Super easy' Jamie Oliver's 'big flavour' leftover lamb biryani recipe

When it comes to ordering an Indian takeaway we're often tempted by biryani. Full of flavour and our mouths can't help but water every time we smell it.

However, this recipe from chef Jamie Oliver is the perfect way to use up any leftover lamb you may have from a Sunday roast.

According to the chef's website, it reads: "Biryani is a big favourite, and what a wonderful recipe it is. It has the capacity to embrace leftovers – whether that’s meat or veg – and you can flex it to suit what you’ve got.

"I’ve suggested a weight of leftover meat, but feel free to bolster it with extra veggies to stretch it further if you don’t have the amount listed here. I’m also using curry paste as an easy shortcut to big flavour, so hopefully that makes it super easy for you.

"Now, I’ve also given you a quick method for a crispy topping of nuts, herbs and spice – it’s not traditional by any means, but I’m having fun with it. See what’s in your cupboards and make it your own. ”

The dish serves six people and cooks in just 90 minutes, great for an after-work recipe.

How to make Jamie Oliver's leftover lamb biryani recipe:

Ingredients

400g basmati rice

250g leftover cooked lamb

1 carrot

½ a small cauliflower

2 heaped teaspoons of jalfrezi curry paste

1 cinnamon stick, optional

1 cardamom pods, optional

250g natural yoghurt

½ x 400g tin of chickpeas

100ml semi-skimmed milk

1 pinch of saffron, optional

Crispy topping

Olive oil

20g cashew nuts

2 sprigs of fresh mint

1 fresh red chilli

¼ of a leek or onion

½ teaspoon mustard seeds, optional

Quick carrot raita

1 large carrot

250g natural yoghurts

½ a lemon

Extra virgin olive oil

Method

First, preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/gas 6. Put the rice in a pan on medium heat with a pinch of salt and 800ml of boiling water.

Next, cover and cook for eight minutes (it needs 12, but we want it a little under-cooked at this stage). Remove the rice from the heat and run it under cold water to cool it down and stop the cooking process. Make sure to then drain the rice and leave it to one side.

Chop the lamb into 2.5cm chunks. Wash the carrot and slice it into 1cm thick rounds. Next, cut or break the cauliflower into florets and around the same size as your lamb.

Place it all in a roasting tray (roughly 25cm x 30cm) with the curry paste and cinnamon stick, if you plan on using it. Crush the cardamom pods and add the inner seeds to the tray, again if you're using them.

Tip in the yoghurt and then use your hands to get in there and mix it all. Make sure the lamb and veg are well coated and spread it all evenly across the tray.

Season the rice once it has cooled down with salt and pepper. Sprinkle it over the lamb and veg to cover. Drain and scatter over the chickpeas, pushing them into the rice.

Next, warm the milk in a pan or a bowl in the microwave and mix in the saffron (or you could use turmeric. Spoon the flavoured milk randomly over the rice – this will give you contrast in colour and flavour as it cooks.

Cover the tray tightly with a double layer of tin foil. Then place over medium heat on the hob for a couple of minutes to get the steam going. Transfer this to the oven for 50 minutes to one hour, or until it is hot all the way through.

For the topping, place a non-stick frying pan on medium heat with one teaspoon of olive oil. Crush and add the cashews and the mint leaves. Then finely slice and sprinkle in the chilli.

Trim, finely slice and add the leek, followed by the mustard seeds, (again if using). Fry this for just a few minutes, making sure to shake it regularly until it’s all crisp and turns a golden colour. Tip this onto a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain.

Meanwhile, for the carrot raita, wash and coarsely grate the carrot then, in a bowl, mix with a pinch of salt and the yoghurt. Squeeze in lemon juice to taste until it is to your liking. Finish this with one teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil.

Finally, get your biryani out of the oven, remove the foil and scatter over the crispy topping. Serve this with the quick raita on the side.