KHUSHBUDAR BIRIANI
Ingredients:
basmati rice – 1/2 kg
mutton – 1 kg
curd – 300 gm
ginger garlic paste – 1 tbsp
chilli powder – 1 tsp
garam masala powder – 1 tsp
grated nutmeg – 1/2 tsp
powdered mace – 1/2 tsp
salt – to taste
stick cinnamon – 10 cm
cloves – 8
green cardamoms – 8
blade of mace – 1
medium onions finely sliced – 2
ghee – 1 cup
onions chopped – 250 gm
stock – 1 lt.
Method:
?Wash and soak the rice for half an hour. Have the mutton cut as for biriani. Your butcher will do it for you. Marinate the meat in the whipped curd, ginger garlic paste, chilli powder, garam masala powder, grated nutmeg, powdered mace and salt to taste, for 2 hours.
?In the meantime, fry half the garam masala and mace in 1 tsp of ghee and grind. Fry the two sliced onions in 3/4 cup ghee till golden brown. Take out and let cool. Then grind and set aside.
?In the same ghee, fry the chopped onions till a lights brown. Add the meat alongwith the marinade and fry, stirring continually till the ghee floats on top. Add 1/2 cup of water and pressure cook for 8 minutes. The meat should be dry. Cook some more in case any water is left.
?Drain the rice. Heat the remaining ghee in a heavy bottomed degchi and fry the rice till it turns opaque. Add the stock heated, the remaining whole garam masala and 1/2 tsp salt. Cover and let boil. Reduce heat when it comes to a boil. Soon you’ll find the water absorbed and holes appearing on top of the rice.
?Carefully take out half the rice, spread the meat evenly over the rice in the degchi. Top with the rice you’ve taken out. Cover the degchi and shake well holding it by both the sides. Now, put on dum. This means putting a tawa underneath the pan and cook tightly covered for another 20-30 minutes or till the rice is done and fluffy.
?serve with a raita.
