Hyderabadi Biryani Recipe

Ingredients:

• 500 gms Basmati Rice (pre-soaked in water for 1 hour).
• 1kg. of Mutton (lamb) chopped in 1 inch chunks
• 2 tsp Garam Masala.
• 5 nos Red chilies
• 3 tbsp of Turmeric powder
• 6 nos. Green chilies
• A handful of cashew nuts
• 5 nos fine sliced Onions
• 3 nos. Cardamoms
• 2 nos. Cloves
• 2 Cinnamon sticks
• 4 tsp. Ginger Garlic paste
• 1 small bunch of chopped Coriander leaves
• 1 small bunch of chopped Pudina (Mint) Leaves
• 2 pinches Saffron (dissolved in 3/4 cup milk)
• 1 cup beaten Yoghurt
• 8 tbsp of Lime juice
• 4 nos boiled Eggs
• 6 tbsp. Ghee (clarified butter)/Butter /Oil
• Salt to taste

Method:

• In a large bowl mix the mutton chunks with yoghurt, one tbsp garam masala, turmeric, garlic- ginger paste and salt. Marinade this mixture for at least 3-4 hours in refrigerator.
• Make a fine paste of red chilies and cashew nuts.
• Heat ghee and pour it on the red chili masala, fry it for 3 minutes and keep aside.
• Fry 1/4 of the onion slices to golden brown and add the marinated mutton to it.
• Fry this mixture on medium flame till ghee separates. Then add 1 and 1/2 cups of warm water to it and cook on a low flame till tender.
• Fry the remaining onion to golden brown and keep aside.
• Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a wok and immediately add Cardamoms, Cloves, Cinnamon sticks to it, fry for a while and add the pre-soaked rice to it.
• Fry the rice a little then add the fried green chilies masala and some salt to it.
• Add enough boiled water in wok and cook till the rice is half done.
• Drain any excess water and Sspread the rice on a plate.
• In a small bowl, mix 1 tbsp. garam masala , fried onion the chopped coriander leaves and mint leaves and keep this mixture aside.
• Take a heavy wok and add ghee. Make a layer of rice at bottom and above that 1/4 of the mutton. Sprinkle half of mixture of coriander leaves and lime juice.
• Make such 2-3 layers of rice followed by a mutton mixture. Top layer should be of a rice .
• Sprinkle saffron milk on the top of it.
• Cover the wok tightly and cook on a low flame it for 20 to 30 minutes tll the rice is done.
• Garnish the Hydrabadi mutton biryani with Boiled Egg cuts, Fried Onions and serve it hot with Raitha.