Ingredients:
• 1 kg – Basmati Rice or any other good Rice, washed and soaked for about 1 hour
• 1 kg – Mutton / lamb (or beef) cut into fairly big pieces
• 3 – Bay Leaves
• 2 tsp – all spice powder or Garam Masala
• 3 – large tomatoes, chopped
• 3 – small sticks of Cinnamon
• 3 – Cloves
• 3 – Cardamoms
• 2 cups – oil or Ghee
• Salt to taste
• 6 – green chillies, slit lengthwise
• 3 tbsp – Ginger Garlic paste
• 2 tsp – chilli powder
• 3 – large onions, sliced finely
• 1 tsp – Turmeric powder
• 1/2 cup – fresh Mint leaves
• 3 tbsp – curds / yogurt
Method:
- Wash the meat and marinate with the spice powder, green chillies, curds, half the quantity of ginger garlic paste and turmeric powder for half an hour.
- Heat the oil or ghee in a large vessel and add the bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, remaining ginger garlic paste and onions and saute for some time.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, mint leaves and chilli powder and simmer till the oil separates from the mixture and the tomatoes are reduced to pulp.
- Add the marinated meat and salt and cook till tender.
- Remove the pieces and keep aside.
- Now, add sufficient water to the gravy in the vessel so as to get about 7 glasses of liquid.
- Add the rice and cook till half done.
- Now, add the cooked meat and mix well.
- Cover and cook on low heat for a few more minutes till all the liquid evaporates and the biryani is done.
Recipe courtesy of Bridget White