KERALA STYLE MUTTON BIRYANI
INGREDIENTS
750 grams mutton, cut into 1 inch pieces on bone
1½ cups Daawat Dubar Basmati Rice
Salt to taste
5 tablespoons oil
2 star anise
6 bay leaves
8 green cardamoms
1 black cardamom
½ inch cinnamon
26-30 black peppercorns
1½ teaspoons caraway seeds (shahi jeera)
2 medium onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoons fennel seeds (saunf)
6-8 cloves
1 blade mace (javitri)
2 green chillies
2 tablespoons ginger-garlic-green chilli-poppy seeds paste
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
3 tablespoons yogurt
1 tablespoon ghee
2 medium onions, sliced
1 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon garam masala powder + as required
8-10 cashewnuts, halved and roasted
1 tablespoon raisins
½ tablespoon lemon juice
Whole wheat flour (atta) dough as required
6 tablespoons fried onions + for garnishing
1 tablespoon saffron milk
Ginger strips for garnishing
Fresh mint sprig for garnishing
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Marinate mutton pieces with some salt.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a deep non-stick pan. Add 1 star anise, 5 bay leaves, 4 green cardamoms, black cardamom, cinnamon, 16-18 peppercorns, 1 teaspoon caraway seeds and chopped onions, mix and sauté till onions turn translucent.
3. Grind together remaining star anise, fennel seeds, remaining bay leaf, remaining green cardamoms, cloves, remaining peppercorns, mace and remaining caraway seeds to a fine powder.
4. Add mutton pieces and broken green chillies to the pan, mix well, cover and cook for 3-4 minutes.
5. Add ginger-garlic-green chilli-poppy seeds paste, turmeric powder, salt and yogurt, mix well, cover and cook till the mixture dries.
6. Heat remaining oil and ghee in another deep non-stick pan. Add sliced onions and sauté till translucent.
7. Add Daawat Dubar Basmati Rice and 2½ tablespoons ground powder and mix well. Add 2 cups water, coconut milk and salt and mix well. Add some ladleful of stock from the mutton and stir lightly.
8. Add garam masala powder to the mutton, mix well, cover and continue to cook.
9. Add cashewnuts, raisins and lemon juice to the rice, cover and cook till the rice is 3/4th done.
10. Roll out wheat flour dough into a cylinder and place on a lid.
11. Spread a layer of rice on the mutton pieces, top with 3 tablespoons fried onions and some garam masala powder. Spread another layer of remaining rice on top, add saffron milk and remaining fried onions. Place lid with dough on top and press. Cook on low heat for 25-30 minutes.
12. Garnish with fried onions, ginger strips and mint sprig and serve hot.