Mutton Biryani

Biryani has always been a festive dish at home.  Any kinda occasion, biryani holds the king position.

The madras style of making it involves cooking the mutton and rice together incontrary to the popular way of doing it in layers.  This is the biryani I cooked yesterday and it came out really well.

IngredientsMutton – 1 kg
Turmeric Powder – 1/2 tsp
Basmati Rice – 1 kg (approx. 5 big size cups)
Onions – 3 big ones sliced lengthwise
Tomato – 3 medium size
Green chillies – 22 slit lengthwise
Red Chilli Powder – 1 heap tbsp
Coriander Powder – 1 heap tbsp
Sour Curd -  2 Cups
Fresh Pudina (only the leaves) – 1 small bunch
Juice of one lemon
Shah Jeera – a pinch
Ghee – 4 tbsp
Salt to taste
Oil

To make Wet paste
Green chillies – 3
Ginger garlic paste – 4 tbsp
Khasa khasa(khus khus) – 1 tsp soaked in warm water
Coriander – a handful
onion -  1 big (using sambar onion(shallots) lends more taste)

To make dry powder
Star anise – 1
Cinnamon – 1 inch stick
cloves – 5 nos
Cardomom – 4 nos

To temperBay leaves -  2
Cloves – 10 nos
Cinnamon – 3 one inch sticks
cardomom – 3

Method
Wash the mutton well and pressure cook till 3/4 done with turmeric and little salt. Drain the water into a cup from the mutton and keep it aside.

In the meantime soak the rice for 5 mins and drain the water. Fry the rice in 2tbsp of ghee in a kadai.

Heat oil in a heavy bottom vessel. Put in the items to temper. Add in the onions and fry till nice golden brown. Mix in the wet paste and fry till the oil seperates and then add the slit green chillies and tomato. Continue frying till the tomatoes are soft and a nice aroma envelopes. Finally add the mutton followed by the dry powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, salt and fry for few minutes.

Add in the Curds, lemon juice and six cups of water(as there is already water left from the curds and the masala). Close the lid and bring it to a boil on high flame. Once the water is boiling, reduce the flame to low and put in the rice evenly alternating with the pudina leaves. Close the lid and let the rice cook.

Open the lid after 5 mins dribble 2 tbsp of ghee over the top and close the lid again. After 1/2 hour take it out from the flame. Now your delicious tasty Madras Mutton Biryani is ready to eat.

Serve with onion raita