How to make Lamb Biryani

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 kilogram mutton cut into medium pieces on the bone

• 1 kilogram basmati rice soaked for 1 1/2 hours

• 1/4 cup ghee

• 5-7 green cardamoms

• 2-3 black cardamoms

• 2 blades of mace

• 1-2 bay leaves

• 2-inch stick cinnamon

• 7-8 black peppercorns

• 8-10 cloves

• 2 tablespoons Ginger-garlic paste

• Salt to taste

• 1 cup fried onions

• 1 cup yogurt

• 5 tablespoons cashew paste

• 2 tablespoons yellow chilli powder

•1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder

• Fresh mint leaves as required

• 2 inches ginger cut into thin strips

• 2-3 green chillies

• 2 teaspoons green cardamom- mace powder

• 3 tablespoons rose water

• 3 tablespoons screw pine (kewda) water

• Sea salt to taste

• 1/2 tablespoon Lemon juice

• Saffron (kesar) soaked in water large pinch

• 1/4 cup fresh cream

• Fresh mint sprigs for garnish

METHOD

Heat ¼ cup ghee in lagan, add green cardamom, black cardamoms, mace blades, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, black peppercorns and cloves and sauté on a low heat till fragrant.

Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté till raw smells disappear. Add mutton, mix well and sauté, stirring occasionally, for 5-10 minutes. Add salt and mix well.

Crush ½ cup fried onion and add to the mutton, mix and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add yogurt, mix and cook on medium heat for 2-3 minutes.

Add yellow chilli powder and mix well, and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Add 2-3 cups water and mix well. Cover and cook till the mutton is almost done.

Add cashew paste and mix well. Add a few mint leaves and some ginger strips, mix well and let it cook for 2-3 minutes. Switch off the heat.

Strain the stock into a bowl through a strainer. Remove the mutton pieces and put them into the same lagan and discard the whole spices. Add the strained stock to the lagan and cook it on low heat till the mixture comes to a boil.

Slit green chillies, add to the mixture and mix well. Add green cardamom-mace powder and mix well. Add 1 screw pine water and 1 tbsp rose water and mix well.

Heat sufficient water in a deep pan, add salt and lemon juice and let the water come to a boil.

Add rice and mix well. Add 1 tbsp of ghee and cook for 2-3 minutes. Meanwhile, add 2 tbsps fried onion to the mutton and mix well.

Strain ¼ rice and evenly spread it over the mutton mixture. Sprinkle a little saffron water, 1 tbsp screw pine water, 1 tbsp rose water, some ginger strips and a few mint leaves. Cover and cook for 1-2 minutes.

Once the remaining rice is ¾ cooked, strain it and spread evenly on the mutton-rice mixture. Sprinkle the remaining saffron water, a few mint leaves and remaining ginger strips, screw pine water and remaining rose water.

Take 1 cup of the strained rice water in a bowl, add fresh cream and 3 tbsps ghee. Pour some of this mixture all around the sides of the lagan. Make a few holes over the surface and pour rest of the mixture into them. Cover the lagan with a lid and seal it with dough. Keep a tawa on low heat, keep the lagan over it and cook on dum for 20-25 minutes. Switch the heat off.

Remove the dough only you are ready to serve. Open the lid, transfer the biryani into a serving bowl garnish with some fried onion and a mint sprig and serve hot with raita.