Mutton Biriyani

Mutton Biriyani-Who does not love biriyani? Is there anyone who hates biriyani? I guess no one there..Biriyanis, fried rices, pulavs are my favourite one-pot meal. Even my hubby is very fond of biriyanis. Most of our Fridays are biriyani flavoured.. :) I don't like more oily biriyanis. I use very little ghee for biriyanis.
Most of my biriyanis are dum biriyanis(Malabar biriyani), I am using aluminium foil to cover my biriyani for the dum process. It is a really simple way for making dum.
Let me share my biriyani recipe??

Ingredients for making Gravy:

1. Mutton-1/2 kg .cleaned,cut into medium pieces.
2. Ginger and garlic-crushed,2 tablespoon.
3. Onion chopped-3 numbers,Medium sized.
4. Green chillies-Slitted.4 to 5.
5. Tomato-1 big.Sliced.
6. Curry leaves-few.
7. Coriander leaves-few chopped.
8. Turmeric powder-1 teaspoon.
9. Red chilli powder-1/2 tablespoon.
10. Coriander powder-1 tablespoon.
11. Garam masala powder-1 teaspoon.
12. Curd-1 tablespoon.
13. Salt-1 teaspoon.
14. Oil-2 tablespoon.

Ingredients for rice:

1. Basmati rice / Long grain rice-2 cups
2. Lemon juice-juice of 1 lemon .
3. Fennel seeds-1/4 teaspoon.
4. Clove-5 numbers.
5. Cinnamon-2" piece
6. Cardamom-3 numbers.
7. Bay leaf-1 leaf.
8. Water -As required.
9. Salt -As needed.

Other ingredients:

1. Ghee-2 tablespoon.
2. Cashew nuts-10 numbers.
3. Raisins-10 numbers.
4. Onion-1 small thinly sliced.
5. Coriander leaves-finely chopped,2 tablespoon.
6. Mint leaves- Chopped.

Method of making Biriyani:

Making rice-

1. Wash and soak rice for 15 minutes.After 15 minutes drain it and set aside.
2. Boil more water in a deep bottomed pan .Add salt,lemon juice,fennel seeds,cloves,cinnamon,cardamom,bay leaf into it.
3. Add in the washed rice to it.Cover it and cook.(Water should be more than double of the rice.)
4. When rice become 3/4 cooked drain off the water and keep this aside.

Making gravy:

1. Cook the mutton in water along with salt and a pinch of garam masala powder.Keep this aside.
2. Heat a pan with oil in it. Add in ginger,garlic,onions,green chillies.Add salt to it.Saute well.When its raw smell disappears add in sliced tomato to it.
3. When the tomatoes are completely cooked add in all spice powders to it and mix well.
4. Remember to lower the flame.Add in curd to it.Now add cooked mutton to it.
5. Combine well and cover it and cook for another few seconds..

Making the toppings:

1. Heat a pan with ghee in it.Shallow fry sliced onion.Set this aside.
2. In the same pan fry cashews and raisins.

Combination/Dum process:

1. Take a pan with deep bottom and also flat bottomed.Spread some ghee at the base.This is to avoid sticking to the bottom.You can also use non stick pan for this.Now put half of th masala gravy to it.Just spread this all over.
2. Next step is to put half of the cooked rice to it.Spread it..
3. Repeat this step. Spread cashews and raisins..
4. Spread caramelized onion and also put ghee.Put some chopped coriander leaves and mint leaves all over it..
5. Cover this with a aluminium foil.Place the lid above it.Heat a cast iron or iron pan Place your biriyani pot above it.(This method helps the heat gets all over the biriyani pot equally).Do this for 20 minutes..
6. After 20 minute open the aluminium foil.Wow what a smell of spices..
7. Serve it..

Serving suggestions:

• Serve it with salad.
• Serve it with good pickle and pappadam.

Pictorial:

Gravy ready..

Rice ready for biriyani.

Starting dum process..

Almost done..

Make dum..Cover with aluminium foil tightly