Mutton Biryani

Ingredients

• 500gms basmati rice, I kg mutton (cut into small pieces)
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 6 red chilies
• 1 cinnamon sticks
• 2 cardamoms
• 3 green chilies
• 7 cashew nuts
• 2 onion sliced fine and fried crisp
• 5 cloves
• 2 tbsp coriander chopped
• 1 small bunch mint leaves chopped
• 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 3 tsp saffron (dissolved in ¾ cup milk)
• 1 cup beaten curd
• 2 lemons
• 5 tbsp ghee/oil
• salt to taste

Method:

1. Mix the mutton pieces with the ginger-garlic paste and beaten curd and keep aside
2. Grind the chilies and the cashew nuts to a fine paste
3. Fry the chili paste in four tablespoons ghee or oil
4. To this add the mutton, one-forth of the fried onion, 1 tsp garam masala and salt to taste
5. When the ghee/oil separates from the mixture, add one and a half cup of warm water and pressure cook till tender
6. Fry the whole spices in 1 tbsp ghee (oil) in a wide-mouthed vessel
7. Add the rice and fry a little, add green chilies, and salt to taste and enough water for the rice to cook
8. When the rice is cooked, spread it on a plate and remove the spices
9. Make a mixture of the chopped coriander, mint, mixed spices and fried onion and keep aside
10. Smear the inside of another wide-mouthed and thick bottomed vessel with ghee (oil). Spread a layer of rice in it and cover it with half the mutton.
11. Sprinkle half of the mint mixture and juice of lime
12. Put a layer of rice followed by a mutton layer and finish with a final layer of rice
13. Sprinkle the rice with saffron milk and some ghee (oil). Your Mutton Biryani is prepared.