Mutton Biriyani

MUTTON BIRIYANI

For Mutton:
Ginger+ Garlic + Shallot paste - 3 tbsp ( 1tbsp from each)
2 sliced onions
1 chopped tomato

Chilly powder - 1 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tbsp
biriyani powder - 1 tsp + 1 tsp

For Rice:
Crush roughly the following whole garam masalas & keep aside.
{ Cloves - 7
Cardamom - 3 crushed
Cinnamon - 3 sticks (if powder - 1/2 tsp )
Star aniseed - 1
Bay leaves - 2
Black cumin - 1 tsp }

Nuts & raisins - a handful
Coriander leaves - a bunch
& mint leaves - a bunch
Lemon juice - that from a lemon
Saffron or food colour

Preparing Mutton Gravy:
Clean the mutton .marinate it with 2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp turmeric and set aside.
Heat 2 tbsp Ghee in a nonstick pan. Saute Ginger -garlic shallot paste in it.
Add sliced 2 onions in it ,saute well at first then saute once in a while .
Once the onion start turning bit brown from transparent , add the tomatoes. Cook for 2 min.
Add the chilly powder , coriander powder , 1 tsp biriyani powder and the mutton pieces .
Mix all well and cook uncovered until the mutton pieces turns into whitish colour.
Transfer the whole thing into pressure cooker , add 1/2 cup water and pressure cook for 15 min.
Later open it add 5 tbsp curd & 1 tsp biriyani masala powder then cook until the water is absorbed well & the gravy becomes thick.
Before finishing the gravy add chopped coriander & mint leaves .

Preparing the Rice :
Wash the rice in water & drain .
Heat 2 tbsp ghee in the vessel .Roast cashews , keep aside. Fry the dry grapes until bubble,keep aside.
Add the crushed cloves ,cardamom ,cinnamon ,Star aniseed,Black cumin,Bay leaves into it.
Add the drained rice into this. Add 3 + 1/2 cup water .Close the lid and wait until the pot fills with steam . reduce the flame & let it cook in the steam. (type of cooking the rice may be different for different people. My mom uses a pressure cooker to cook the rice. I use a wide steel pot , which is generally used for cooking rice . Won't burn in the bottom , also once the pot is filled with steam you can turn off the flame & the rice will be cooked in this steam)

Biriyani:
Preheat the oven to 180 degree.
Mix two pinch of saffron with milk or warm water. Mix some rice with this.(you can also use food colour) Keep it aside.
Layer the rice & mutton alternatively in a deep pot and bake for 30 - 45 min.
Garnish with nuts , raisins & coloured rice & serve with a salad , boiled egg. & mint chutney .