Beef Biryani: Takes a Long Time, But Is Worth It

Will and I volunteered to watch our local boy scout camp in the off season to prevent vandalism, so we needed something that took a while for dinner on Friday night because the joke is, right when you sit down to eat is when a unit needs to be checked in or someone needs directions. We got a little more than we bargained for, between the altitude and that I forgot some of the necessary equipment.
Chop one onion and put it into a blender with two chopped garlic cloves, some ginger, and two Tablespoons of flaked or sliced almonds. Add a quarter cup of water and blend til it forms a smooth paste. Stick it into a bowl and set it aside. Thinly slice a second onion into rings and heat some butter in a stove proof casserole dish; cook the onions until they are a golden brown, then transfer them to a plate with a slotted spoon. Cook two Tablespoons of flaked almonds until golden and transfer them to the same plate as the onions. Add two Tablespoons of golden raisins and cook them til they plump up and transfer to the same plate as the onions and almonds.
Heat some more butter and add a pound and quarter of cubed braising beef; cook til evenly browned on all sides and transfer to a different plate from your onions.
Wipe the dish clean, heat a little more butter, and add the spice paste; cook, stirring constantly, until it starts to slightly brown. Stir in a Tablespoon of ground cumin, half a teaspoon of ground turmeric, half a teaspoon of ground fenugreek, and a pinch of cinnamon; season to taste with salt and pepper and cook for another minute.
Lower the heat and add three quarters of a cup of plain yogurt a little at a time until all of it is added to the spice mixture. Return the meat to the pan, stir to coat, and simmer for forty minutes or until the meat is tender; meanwhile, soak a cup of rice in water for twenty minutes.
Preheat the oven to 325. Drain the rice, and put in a pan with five cups of hot water; bring to a boil and cook for five minutes. Drain the rice and pile it on top of the beef. Make a hole in the center using the handle of a wooden spoon. Place the fried onion mixture on top of the rice, cover the casserole with foil, and bake for thirty minutes.
Will and I agreed this was an excellent dish. I will definitely make this again.