Ingredients:

• 675 gms – rice, washed and soaked for 40 mins
• For the sauce:
• Oil for deep frying
• 2 large onions, sliced
• 4 medium sized potatoes, quartered
• 675 gms – beef, cubed
• 3 tsp – crushed Garlic
• 3 tsp – grated Ginger
• 4 green chillies, finely sliced
• 250 gms – peeled, chopped Tomatoes
• 2 tbsp – Tomato puree
• 1 tsp – Garam Masala
• 1/2 tsp – Turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp – chilli powder
• 3 tsp – coriander powder
• 1 small carton plain Yoghurt (150 gms.)
• a pinch of Saffron
• 6 Cloves
• 6 black peppercorns4 Cardamoms pods, opened
• 2.5 cm (1 inch) Cinnamon stick
• a handful of coriander leaves, chopped
• 3 hard-boiled eggs (optional)
• Salt to taste
• For the rice:
• 1 liter (2 pints) or more of water, to cook the Rice
• 1 tbsp – salt (or to taste)
• For the topping:
• 2 tbsp – oil
• 4 Cloves
• 4 Black Peppercorns
• 4 Cardamom pods, opened
• 2.5 cm (1 inch) Cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp – whole Cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp – yellow food color

Method:

1. To make the sauce:
2. Deep fry onions and potatoes, separately, until golden brown (the potatoes do not need to be fully cooked at this stage).
3. Set the oil aside.
4. Mix all the ingredients (except a handful of onions, to be used later) in a large saucepan, cover and simmer over low heat for an hour, until the beef is tender.
5. For the rice:
6. Boil the washed, soaked and drained rice for 25 mins until just cooked (i.e. not mushy) and drain.
7. Take a big ovenproof dish and make alternate layers with the sauce and rice and ending with the rice.
8. For the topping:
9. Heat oil and add all the ingredients except the food color.
10. When the cumin seeds start to crackle, remove from heat and spread over the top layer of rice.
11. Sprinkle the top with the remaining fried onions (saved from earlier) and pour the yellow food color over the rice in the shape of a cross.
12. Cover and place in a pre-heated oven (160 deg C) for 50 mins, until the biryani has heated through.