Turkey leftovers are well loved in our house and with Christmas dinner over for another year, it’s time to make sure that all the meat is used up. Leftovers are one the things I love about Christmas food and there is something quite satisfying about stripping down the carcass and gathering any other little jewels that survived the festivities.
Turkey Biryani
One of my favourite ways to use up some of the turkey is to make a biryani. I’m not particularly keen on adding cooked meat to a curry but but I do like adding it to rice dishes. And, of course, don’t forget to boil up the carcass to make some comforting turkey broth.
I’ve listed the spices needed for the recipe but you could easily adapt by using curry powder or curry paste. Just go with what you’ve got available rather than buying extra.
I Like to serve this with some spicy chutney and a raita.
| Servings | Prep Time |
| 4-6 | 15 Minutes |
| Cook Time |
| 20 minutes |
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This turkey biryani is perfect for using up leftover turkey from the Christmas dinner or any chicken from the Sunday roast. It also works well with other cooked meats such as lamb or beef.
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- 300 g Basmati rice
- 25 g butter
- 1 tbsp rapeseed or vegetable oil
- 1 medium onion diced
- 4 garlic cloves - crushed or chopped
- 25g root ginger finely chopped
- 6 cardamom pods - seeds removed
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 5cm piece of cinnamon stick
- 4 cloves
- 1 Bay leaf
- 1 green chillies, left whole and pricked with the tip of a knife
- 100g dried cranberries Leftover cranberry sauce can be used instead although add when adding the rice and stock.
- Approx 400g Chopped cooked turkey
- large handful chopped fresh coriander Chopped spring onion can also be scattered over to serve.
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Wash the rice in several changes of water then put the rice in a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water, season with salt and set aside.
- Add the butter and the vegetable oil to a large saute pan and when the butter has melted, add the onion and cook for 4-5 minutes.
- Add the ginger and garlic and chilli to the pan along with the spices and continue cooking for for 5 minutes. Add a small amount of water if the ingredients start to dry out.
- Drain the rice, run under cold water then add to the pan along with the stock and dried cranberries. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Scatter the turkey over the top of the rice, replace the lid and continue cooking for a further 5 minutes or until the rice is cooked and the stock has been absorbed.
- Remove from the heat, add half the coriander to the pan and using a fork, mix the turkey and the coriander through the rice. check seasoning and serve.
Food Waste
Food waste is such a huge problem all year round and during the festive period 50,375 tonnes of food and drink is expected to be binned in Scotland alone. We’re all being enouraged to shop smart and save money simply by avoiding food waste.
Further information with recipes and tips on preventing food waste can be found at Love Food Hate Waste Scotland
