There are as many ways of preparing biriyani as there are families in India. This is my friend’s recipe – she got it from a muslim maid of hers, who has once worked for a royal family. You can have on its own, but a cool dish of raita goes very well with it.
Basmati rice – 1/2 kg
Ghee as needed
Whole garam masala – 2 tablespoon
Stock – 800 ml
Meat
Mutton – 1 kg
Curd – 300 gm
Ginger, garlic paste – 1 tablespoon
Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
Garam masala powder – 1 tsp
Grated nutmeg – 1/4 tsp
Salt – to taste
Onion, sliced – 250 gm
Ghee as needed
You will also need
Medium sliced onion – 2
Cardamoms – 2
Cloves – 2
Small stick cinnamon – 1
Blade of mace – 1
Nutmeg – 1/4
Ghee – for frying
Soak the rice in water for half an hour. Drain well before use.
Marinate mutton in the curd, spices and salt for as long as time permits, a least 2 hours. Heat 1 tbsp. ghee, fry the whole garam masala, take out and grind.
Heat 1 cup ghee and fry the two sliced onions over medium heat till uniformly golden brown. Take out and spread over a paper so that the extra ghee can drain out. The onion will turn crisp. Grind it without water.
Take 4 tbsp. of ghee in which the onion was fried. Fry the 250 gm. of onion in it to a light brown. Add the meat alongwith its marinade. Fry till the ghee separates. Add 1 cup of water and pressure cook for 7 -8 minutes.
Open cooker, add the fried, ground garam masala and onion. Stir till the water evaporates. The mutton should have a thick gravy clinging to it.
Heat 4 tbsp. ghee in a thick bottomed degchi. Temper with the whole garam masala. Add the rice and stir fry till the rice turn translucent. Add the hot stock. Cover when the rice comes to a boil and reduce flame. Soon the water will be observed and you’ll find holes on the surface.
Take out half of the rice; spread the meat over the rice in the degchi and cover with the remaining rice. Cover tightly and put on dum, which means keep a tawa underneath till the rice gets done. Cook on a low fire.
Before serving, hold the degchi with both your hands and shake well so that the meat gets mixed with the rice. Serve hot garnished with silver warq.
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