Ingredients

1 lb. (1/2 kg) mutton big pieces with bones (preferably Indian mutton)
1 lb. Basamati rice (soaked in water for 1/2 hour)
5 oz. (150 grams) onions cut into think slices
4-5 tez patta (bay leaves)
5-6 lavang (cloves)
1 tsp. Jhajeera
2 cinnamom sticks (Dal Chinni)
4-5 kali mirchi (Sabuth)
2 Elachi, big
1 bunch chopped pudina (mint leaves)
100 cashew nuts
2 Tbs. milk
1/4 tsp. kesar color
1 1/2 C. ghee

Mutton Seasoning:
2 Tbs. ginger garlic paste
1 tsp. hajeera powder
1 tsp. cinnamom powder
Salt according to taste
1/2 tsp. red chili powder
1 tsp. turmeric powder
2 Tbs. dhania powder
2 Tbs. green chili paste
2 tsp. jeera powder
1 1/2 C. curds, thick
1 bunch fresh coriander, chopped finely
1 bunch fresh pudina

Directions

Wash mutton pieces and put in an earthen pot or heavy bottom vessel.
Add to mutton seasoning ingredients. Mix well so that all mutton pieces are well coated and let it marinate for 1 to 2 hours.

Heat little ghee in a kadai and fry the sliced onions until they are dark brown and crisp. Set aside.
Fry the cashew nuts in ghee for few seconds until they become light brown, do not burn them.

Heat ghee in a heavy bottom vessel and add tez patta, lavang, elachi (cardamom big ones), sabuth kali mirchi, cinnamon sticks and sauté for few seconds. Add the marinated mutton pieces and cook in slow flame stirring for every few minutes. In the meantime, cook the soaked rice with 1/2 tsp. salt until half boiled, drain the water and spread it on a plate and sprinkle ghee over the rice.

When the mutton is almost done (see that it is not overcooked but just cooked) take out the cooked mutton in a plate. Put some mutton mixture in the same bowl in which mutton was cooked, add on top of the mutton half boiled rice evenly and sprinkle one tsp. ghee and chopped pudina leaves and fried cashew nuts and sprinkle kesar mixed in milk from top. Continue the process for all the layers. Add the fried crisp brown onions from top

Immediately cook biryani in slow flame that is on DUM with tightly closed lid for 10-15 minutes or until you think the rice is cooked. Serve with curd raitha, fresh green salad and boiled eggs (cut into halves).

Serving Size

4

Preparation Time

45  minutes

Cooking Time

25  minutes