Mutton Biriyani

I love to make any form of one pot dishes and definetly Biriyani is our all time favourite and it makes its apperance in the kitchen more often than the others. Making Biriyani is surely an art and can be mastered with time. Each time I cook biriyani i learn something new. And the new prestige non-stick stockpot that i got has helped me make some good biriyani's.

Ingrediants
Mutton 1Kg
Basmati Rice 3/4Kg
Onion 6 (Medium, Sliced)
Tomato 5 (Medium, Sliced)
Coriander 1 Cup (Chopped)
Pudina 1 Cup (Chopped)
Green chilli 6-7(Slit)
Chilli Powder 3tsp
Turmeric Powder 1/2tsp
Garam Masala 2 tsp
Curd 200gms
Ginger Garic Paste 3tsp
Cinnamon 3sticks
Clove 5nos
Oil 1 cup
Ghee 3 tsp
Salt

Cooking Method
Soak rice for half an hour.
In a large cooking bowl add water and the rice along with salt and 2tsp oil.
Cook the rice till its half done. Drain the water and spread rice on a large plate, Allow rice to cool.
This method ensures rice does not stick to each other.

Wash and cook meat with turmeric, 1tsp chilli powder and salt in a cooker till done.

Heat oil, add cinnamon, clove, bay leaf once they crackle add chilli's and pudina.
Once its fried, Add onions, fry on slow flame till brown.
Add tomatoes, ginger garlic paste fry for 3 minutes.
Add chilli powder, turmeric, salt and garam masala fry well till the oil seperates from the masala.
Add curd and fry till the curd blends with the masala.
Add cooked meat along with the soup and let it boil along with the masala for 15 minutes on slow flame.
Mix the cooked rice with the meat and masala. (Ensure that when u add the rice there is only a thin layer of oil / masala on the top layer)
Add ghee and coriander leaves.

Close the vessel, ensure the heat does not escape from the vessel. to acheive this u can keep a heavy object on the biriyani vessel.
Keep a pan on the stove and on the pan keep the biryani vessel and let it cook in dum for 15 - 20 min or until the rice is cooked.


Note

• This method of cooking does not require to add any additional water when u mix the rice and the masala as the rice gets cooked in the Dum.
• Use best quality of basmati rice as this enhances the taste.
• The quality of the vessel is also very important, Ensure you use a thick bottom vessel with a good lid.
• The cooking time of the rice largely depends on the quality of the rice. So the cooking time given is apporximate.
• If the meat has fat in it, u can reduce the amount of oil.
• Reduce or incease the amount of chilli/ chilli powder as per your taste.
• Colour of biriyani depends on the colour of ur chilli powder.
• Cook the biriyani only on slow flame.
• If you soak the rice for a long time , reduce the amount of water.

Cooking time 2 hours
Serves 4-5