MUTTON BIRYANI

Serve – 6 people 

INGREDIENTS :-

Mutton leg (cut into 4 cm pieces)                :     ¾ kgs.

Vegetable oil                                              :    1 cup

Potatoes (peeled and cut into quarters)       :  2 Medium

Onion (thinly sliced)                                   :   3 Large

Salt                                                            :  2 tsp

FOR MARINADE :-

Ginger                                                 :     20 gms

Garlic                                                  :  16 flakes

Green chillies                                       :  6

Tomatoes                                            :  1 medium (chopped)

Dry plums                                            :  6

Almonds (blanched and halved)            : 6

Salt                                                      : 1 tsp

Red chilli powder                                  :  2 tsp

Coriander leaves(chopped)                   : 2 tsp

Mint leaves(chopped)                           : 2 tsp

Garam masala powder                          : 1 & ½ tsp

Cumin powder                                      :  1 tsp

Curd                                                     :  1 cup

Saffron (dissolved in 1 tsp hot water)     : a large pinch

FOR RICE :-

Water                                   :  7 cups

Salt                                       : 1 tsp

Basmati rice                          :  3 cups

Vanaspati/ ghee                     : ½ cup + 1 tsp

Milk                                      :  ¼ cup

Green cardamoms                 :  2

Caraway seeds                      : ¼ tsp

                                                                      METHODS :-                                                                       

(1) Grind together, garlic and chillies into a paste.

(2)Rub ground paste into meat. Add all other ingredients for marinade. Mix well and keep aside for 4 hours or overnight in refrigerator.

(3) In  a large frying pan, heat oil for about 5 minutes. Lightly fry potatoes. Remove and add potatoes to the marinated meat. Mix well

(4) Divide onions into 2 batches. In the remaining oil in the pan, fry each batch with 3/4 tsp salt till onions are golden brown and crisp.

(5)Pour 6 cups water into cooker. bring to boil on high heat . add salt and rice. Stir once.

(6) Close cooker. Bring to full pressure on high heat. Remove cooker immediately from heat. Reduce pressure by placing cooker in a basin of cold water for about 2 minutes.

(7) Open cooker. Transfer rice to a colander and drain. Wash and wipe dry cooker.

(8) Heat 7 tsp vanaspati in cooker. add meat along with marinade. Mix well. Add remaining water 5 tsp.

(9) Remove cooker from heat. Till cooker and shift meat to one side of cooker. Add rice to the other side. Sprinkle milk on rice.

(10) In a pan, heat remaining vanaspati (2tsp) . remove pan from heat . add cardamoms and caraway seeds to hot vanaspati and pour evenly over rice.

 (11) Close cooker. Bring to full pressure on high heat. Reduce heat and cook for 20 minutes.

(12) Remove cooker from heat. Allow to cool naturally.

(13) Open cooker, transfer rice onto a serving dish. Top with meat and masala. Serve hot with onion salad or raita.