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Prep Time: 45 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes

Yield: Serves 6-8

This fragrant biryani breathes new life into leftover turkey, marrying it with warm spices and caramelized onions. The meat regains its moisture through a yogurt marinade, while layers of par-cooked rice absorb the aromatic flavors during a final bake. Though traditionally labor-intensive, this simplified version delivers authentic flavor with most of the work focused on creating perfectly caramelized onions – the foundation of any good biryani.

Ingredients

2 cups - basmati rice
2 lb. - cooked turkey meat, chopped into bite-size pieces
6 - garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 - ginger, peeled, finely chopped
1 cup - plain whole-milk yogurt
2 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. - garam masala
1 Tbsp. - Diamond Crystal
1 Tbsp. - tomato paste
1½ tsp. - ground coriander
1 tsp. - Kashmiri
1 tsp. - ground cumin
⅔ cup plus 2 Tbsp. - ghee or vegetable oil
4 - medium onions, thinly sliced
2 - dried bay leaves
1 - (2"-long) cinnamon stick
6 - whole cloves
5 - green cardamom pods
1 cup - whole milk
⅔ cup - golden raisins
⅓ cup - unsalted roasted cashews, coarsely chopped
2 cups - coarsely chopped mint

Step 1 Rinse rice under cold water until water runs clear. Soak in cold water for 30 minutes.
Step 2 Meanwhile, prepare the marinade: Combine turkey, garlic, ginger, yogurt, garam masala, salt, tomato paste, coriander, chili powder, and cumin in a bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Step 3 Heat ⅔ cup ghee in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Cook onions, stirring frequently, until dark golden brown and beginning to crisp, 25-35 minutes. Transfer half to paper towels to drain. Reserve remaining onions in pot.
Step 4 Heat oven to 350°F. Bring a pot of well-salted water to boil. Add drained rice, bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom. Simmer until rice is almost tender but still firm in center, about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water.
Step 5 Add remaining 2 Tbsp. ghee to reserved onions. Add turkey mixture and cook until warmed through and lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Stir in milk and bring to simmer. Layer par cooked rice on top and scatter with raisins, maintaining distinct layers. Cover and bake 20 minutes.
Step 6 Let stand, covered, 8 minutes. Top with cashews, mint, and reserved fried onions. Mix thoroughly before serving.
Tips - Can use dark meat, white meat, or both - Works equally well with rotisserie chicken - Turkey mixture can be marinated up to 12 hours ahead - For extra flavor, add turkey wings when cooking the rice - Adjust salt in marinade based on how seasoned your leftover turkey is