Beef Biryani with Quinoa

Beef Biryani with Quinoa

My husband has been on quest for the past couple months to lose weight and my son, Zac, has been his own personal chef. When my hubby would try to lose weight before this he would just eat tons of cabbage and a lot of fruit.

He would lose weight but as soon as he was down to his ideal weight he would go back to his old habits.

Zac has read numerous books on losing weight and making it a life style change. So when we decided to make this dish, we decided to substitute the rice with quinoa. Seriously, your family will love it and just making small changes can benefit the whole family.

Beef Biryani with Quinoa

Ingredients:

Simmer sauce:
1/2 onion
2 garlic cloves
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1 inch piece ginger
3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup water

For the biryani:
1 Tablespoon butter
1 Tablespoon oil
1/4 cup slivered almonds
1/2 cup raisins
1 pound beef ( pre-cubes meat, stew meat would work)
1/2 onion
1 Tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups Quinoa
3 cups beef broth

Beef Biryani with Quinoa

Directions:

• Making the sauce: Cut the onion in half and set one half aside for later. Cut remaining half into quarters. Place in the food processor with the garlic, cilantro, and ginger. Puree until smooth, adding a little water if needed. Set aside.
• Onions: In a large ovenproof pan over medium low heat, melt 1/2 tablespoon butter and 1/2 Tablespoon oil. Cut the other half of the onion into thin slices and add to the pan. Caramelize onion until golden brown and they will be sweet, about 15 minutes. Add the almonds and raisins and stir fry until everything is slightly softened, and golden. Set aside.
• Beef: Return the pan to the stove and melt the remaining 1/2 Tablespoon butter and oil over medium heat. Add the beef pieces- sear them so that they get a nice and browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Place on a plate. Take a paper towel and wipe out the excess grease, and add the sauce to the pan.
• While it simmers, add the spices to the pan. Cook until you can smell those yummy spices, it will take about 3 minutes.
• Add the yogurt and about 1 cup water and stir until smooth. Add the browned beef with the sauce. Cover and simmer gently for 1 hour.
• Prepare Quinoa: While the beef is simmering, soak the quinoa in cold water and then rinse thoroughly to remove the starch. Heat 3 cups of beef broth in a saucepan and bring to a low boil. Add the quinoa and simmer, covered, for 5 to 10 minutes. The quinoa should be partially cooked but it’s okay if it’s still a little raw. Drain off the liquid and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Spoon the quinoa on top of the beef and make a small well in the middle for moisture. Sprinkle the caramelized onions over the rice. Cover with two to three tight layers of aluminum foil and a tight fitting lid. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes and then fluff with a fork.