Ingredients:

• 1/2 kg – Mutton big pieces with bones (preferably Indian Mutton)
• 1/2 kg – Basmati Rice (soaked in water for 1/2 hour)
• 150 gm – Onions cut into thin slices
• 4 to 5 – Tez patta (bay leaves)
• 5 to 6 – Lavang (cloves)
• 1 tsp – Jhajeera
• 3 – Cinnamon sticks (Dal Chinni)
• 4 – Kali mirchi (Sabuth) –
• 2 – Elaichi (Big)
• 1 bunch – Pudina (Mint Leaves) chopped
• 100 – Cashew nuts (optional)
• 2 tbsp – Milk
• 1/4 tsp – Kesar colour
• 1.5 cups – Ghee
• Add to Mutton:
• 2 tbsp – Ginger Garlic paste
• 1 tsp – Shajeera powder
• 1 tsp – Cinnamon powder
• Salt according to taste
• 1/2 tsp – Red Chilli powder
• 1 tsp – Turmeric powder
• 2 tbsp – Dhania powder
• 2 tbsp – Green chilli paste
• 2 tsp – Jeera powder
• 1/5 cups – Curds thick
• 1 bunch – Fresh coriander chopped finely
• 1 bunch – Fresh pudina
• Mix well so that all Mutton pieces are well coated and let it marinate for 1 to 2 hours.

Method:

1. Marination (for 1 to 2 hours).
2. Wash mutton pieces and put in an earthen pot or heavy bottom vessel.
3. Preparation:
4. Step 1: Heat little ghee in a kadai and fry the sliced onions till they are dark brown and crisp and keep aside.
5. Fry the cashew nuts in ghee for few seconds till they become light brown, do not burn them.
6. Step 2 – Heat ghee in a heavy bottom vessel and add tez patta, lavang, elaichi (cardamom big ones), sabuth kali mirchi, cinnamon sticks and saute for few seconds add the marinated mutton pieces and cook in slow flame stirring for every few minutes.
7. Meantime, cook the soaked rice with salt (1/2 spoon) till half boil, drain the water and spread it on a plate and sprinkle ghee over the rice.
8. Step 3 – When the mutton is almost done, take out the cooked mutton in a plate.
9. Rice And mutton layers: Put some mutton mixture in the same bowl in which the mutton was cooked.
10. Add to this some half boiled rice and spread evenly.
11. Sprinkle one spoon ghee and chopped pudina leaves and fried cashew nuts and sprinkle kesar mixed in milk from top.
12. Continue the process for all the layers till the rice and mutton is over.
13. Add the fried crisp brown onions from top.
14. Step 4: Immediately after the above procedure, cook biryani on slow flame for the dum flavour.
15. Keep the lid tightly closed for 10 to 15 mins or till you think the rice is cooked.
16. Serve with curd raita, fresh green salad and boiled eggs (cut into halves).

Recipe courtesy of Anita Singh