Mutton Biryani

Preparation time: 40 mins | Cooking time: 60 mins

My 50th post :-)......

This blog is special to me for 2 reasons. First of all I'm completing half a century with this recipe, thanks to all my blogger friends for their encouragement and all the silent visitors who have dropped by. The second reason is-I cooked this for my husband's birthday, as it is the best among his favourites. :-)

Ingredients
For Gravy
Mutton-500gms
Onions-2
Ginger(chopped)-1tbsp
Garlic(chopped)-1tbsp
Green chillies-3
Coriander powder-3tsp
Chilli powder-1tsp
Garam masala-1/2tsp
Turmeric powder-1/4tsp
Tomatoes-2
Coriander leaves(chopped)-3tbsp
Mint leaves(chopped)-2tbsp
Yogurt-2tbsp
Oil-2tbsp
Salt to taste

For rice
Basmati rice-400gms (2cups)
Bay leaves-2
Cardamom-2
Cinnamon-2, 1inch stick
Cloves-3
Ghee-2tsp
Water-3 1/2cups
Salt to taste

For layering
Onion (cut into rings)-1
Cashew nuts-a few
Coriander leaves(chopped)-1tbsp
Mint leaves(chopped)-1tbsp
Garam masala-1/2tsp
Lime juice-2tbsp
Ghee-3tbsp


Method
Gravy
Clean the mutton and cut them into medium size pieces. Make a paste of ginger, garlic & green chillies and marinate the mutton in this mixture for about an hour.

Heat oil in a pan, add thinly sliced onions and saute until they are light brown in colour. Now add the mutton along with the marinade and fry until it slightly changes colour. Add all the dry masalas and fry for about 5 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes and cook until everything is blend well. Add the yoghurt, coriander & mint leaves to this. Adjust the salt and add a little water if needed, cook till the mutton is well done. The gravy should be of thick consistency.

Rice
Wash the rice well and soak for about 20 minutes, drain and keep aside. Boil water in a heavy bottom vessel. Add the whole garam masalas, ghee and salt. Now add the rice and cook on medium flame until the rice is done.

Layering and dum
Deep fry the onion rings in oil until golden brown and fry the cashews in ghee until light brown.



Smear the vessel(heavy bottom) with ghee. First add a layer of rice, top it with the mutton along with the gravy. Sprinkle some garam masala, lime juice, coriander leaves, mint leaves and the fried onions on top. Add another layer of rice and the secret lies here. Make sure that you press the rice well so that the flavour of the mutton mixes well with the rice. Repeat the same for another layer of mutton followed by rice. Finally add the fried cashews, onions and the coriander, mint leaves. Close the vessel with a tight lid or with an aluminium foil and keep it over a large pan and cook on slow flame for about 30 minutes. You may add water in the pan so that it does not get over heated. This procedure is to dum the biryani.

It should be served with raitha, papadom and lime pickle.