Mutton Biryani

SERVES: 8–10

PREPARATION TIME: 1½ HOURS

INGREDIENTS
Basmati rice (long-grained and old) 500 gms
Mutton puth ka gosht 500 gms
(short loin chops)
Onions 3 medium, finely chopped
Tomatoes 3 medium, finely chopped
Dahi (yoghurt) 2 cups
Adhrak-lahsun (ginger-garlic) paste 3 tbsp
Laal mirch (red chilli) powder 1½ tsp
Badaam (almonds) 8–10, blanched and peeled
Magaz (watermelon and musk melon) 2 tbsp
seeds
Shahi jeera (black cumin) seeds 1 tsp
Meat masala 1 tbsp
Kaali mirch (whole black peppercorns) 1 tsp
Javitri (mace) 3–4 flakes
Jaiphal (nutmeg) 1 small piece
Badi elaichi (black cardamom) 3 pods, whole
Chakr phool (star anise) 5 pieces
Laung (cloves) 1 tsp
Tejpatta (bay leaf) 3 small leaves
Dalchini (cinnamon) stick 1-inch piece
Hari elaichi (green cardamoms) 4 pods
Kewra (screw pine) water 2 tbsp
Kesar (saffron) ½ tsp
Chandi ka varq (silver leaf) 3-4 leaves
Milk 4 tbsp, warmed
Desi ghee 4 tbsp
Sunflower oil 4 tbsp, for frying the meat
Salt 1 tbsp

METHOD
Wash the mutton and drain the water. Add the finely chopped onions and tomatoes, yoghurt, 1 tablespoon of oil and mix all the ingredients together except almonds. Marinate for 1 hour.
Wash and soak the rice in lots of water for 45 minutes. The water should completely cover the rice. After 45 minutes drain the water.
Boil 1 litre of water with the cinnamon, black pepper, cloves, bay leaf, black cardamom, star anise and 1 tablespoon of salt. Once the water starts to boil, add the rice. After one boil, reduce the flame and cook for 10 minutes. After it is half done, drain the water and transfer the rice to a wide pan to let it air out. When the rice is well spread out, it does not stick together.
In a kadhai (Indian wok), heat the oil and add the marinated meat to roast. Cook the mutton until it becomes a little tender and the oil rises to the surface.
Mix the mace and the saffron in lukewarm milk. Add this mixture to half the quantity (250 grams) of the rice. Then mix together both the quantities of rice.
In a heavy-bottomed pateela, first add the rice at the bottom and then add the roasted, cooked meat, kewra water and desi ghee and cover it with a heavy lid. Seal it with kneaded dough. On a low flame, take a large pan and place the heavy-bottomed pateela filled with rice on top of the pan. Simmer for about 40 minutes.
Open the lid and garnish with blanched almonds. Decorate with silver leaves. Serve hot with Kachoomber Salad, Burhani Raita and Mint Chutney.

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