HYDERABADI MUTTON BIRYANI

Preparation of HYDERABADI MUTTON BIRYANI:

Ingredients:

• Mutton, a mix of chops,marrowbone and shoulder pieces - 500 grams
• Basmati rice - 1 1/2 cups
• Salt - to taste
• Bay leaves - 2
• Green cardamoms - 10
• Black peppercorns - 25-30
• Cinnamon -3 inch stick
• Oil - 1 tablespoon + to deep fry
• Onions, sliced - 5 large
• Caraway seeds (shahi jeera) - 1/2 teaspoon
• Cloves - 10
• Ginger paste - 1 tablespoon
• Garlic paste - 1 tablespoon
• Red chilli powder - 1 tablespoon
• Yogurt - 1 cup
• Fresh coriander leaves, torn - 2 tablespoons
• Fresh mint leaves, torn - 2 tablespoons
• Pure ghee n- 4 tablespoons
• Black cardamoms - 2
• Saffron (kesar), mix in 1/4 cup milk - a few strands

Method:

• Take mutton pieces in a bowl.
• Add ginger paste, garlic paste and salt and mix. 
• Add the spice powder, red chilli powder, half the fried onions crushed, yogurt, coriander leaves, half of the mint leaves and one tablespoon oil and mix.
• Let it marinate for about two hours in the refrigerator.
• Heat five to six cups of water in a deep pan. 
• Add drained rice, salt, bay leaves, five green cardamoms, seven to eight black peppercorns, one cinnamon stick and cook till three fourth done. 
• Drain and set aside. 
• Heat sufficient oil in a kadai and deep-fry half the onion slices till golden.
• Drain and place on an absorbent paper.
• Grind caraway seeds, one cinnamon stick, remaining black peppercorns, cloves and remaining green cardamoms to a fine powder and set aside. 
• Heat two tablespoons ghee in a pan, remaining cinnamon and black cardamoms and sauté till fragrant.
• Add remaining onions and sauté till light golden.
• Add marinated mutton, stir and cook on high heat for three to four minutes. 
• Cover, reduce heat and cook till almost done. 
• Heat the remaining ghee in a thick-bottomed pan. 
• Spread half the rice in a layer. Spread the mutton over the rice. 
• Sprinkle remaining torn mint leaves. 
• Spread the remaining rice. Sprinkle saffron milk. 
• Cover and cook under dum till done. 
• Serve hot with a raita of your choice.