Mutton Pot Biriyani

Method

Step 1

Marinate the lamb overnight - 3/4 of the curd, ginger-garlic paste, chili powder, garam masala, turmeric, lemon juice; remove from the chiller at least an hour before cooking.

Step 2

Wash and soak the rice in water before you begin cooking

Step 3

In a large pot heat the oil over medium heat

Step 4

Add the onion and green chili and cook till the onions brown and caramelize

Step 5

Add bay leaf, star anise, mace, cardamon, cumin, cinnamon, tomatoes, MAGGI chicken flavoured seasoning cube, and stir well

Step 6

Add the marinated mutton, some coriander and mint leaves and mix well

Step 7

Stir to mix the marinate and onions with the mutton; correct seasoning if required

Step 8

Pressure cook for 20 - 30 minutes or cook on a low-flame for 1 hour - till the meat is tender and falls apart from the bone

Step 9

Once the meat has cooked, add curd, more coriander, and mint leaves; stir

Step 10

Check and correct the seasoning if required

-Rice-

Step 1

Whilst the meat is cooking, prepare the rice

Step 2

In a deep pot add the soaked rice (after draining), bay leaves, cumin, cloves, mace, cinnamon, cardamom, 1 MAGGI chicken flavoured seasoning cube and salt (to taste)

Step 3

Cook the rice halfway (the rice must be raw in the middle of the grain)

Step 4

Drain the water completely and set the rice aside

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Step 1

Use an oven-proof pot or a clay-pot

Step 2

Assemble the curry and rice in layers

Step 3

First a layer of rice, then curry, sprinkle some coriander, mint, green chili and fried onion (if you prefer less spicy, do not add green chili)

Step 4

Repeat the same layer evenly till the rice and mutton are finished; the last layer must be rice

Step 5

Pour the ghee, saffron milk and 2 tbsp of rosewater over the last layer of rice

Step 6

Sprinkle the last of the fried onion, chopped mint, coriander, and green chili

Step 7

Cover tightly with aluminum foil or a naan/roti dough to seal the edges of the pot to trap in the steam

Step 8

Bake in a pre-heated oven at 180°C for 20 minutes

Step 9

Remove from the oven and leave it covered for another 15 minutes to let it rest

Step 10

Remove the foil and stir the biriyani with a chopstick or fork to mix the meat and rice

Step 11

Serve hot with some cucumber Raitha

Step 12

10 cloves of garlic & 2" piece of ginger blended into a smooth paste with salt

Step 13

a pre-made biriyani masala mix could also be added for additional flavour

Step 14

a salty unsweetened yoghurt/curd-based salad that has onion, mint, coriander, cucumber

Step 15

saffron soaked in warm milk. A substitute would be a pinch of turmeric mixed with a pinch of sweet paprika in warm milk