Hyderabadi Mutton Biryani

A first-time attempt on this dish that turned out incredible!

INGREDIENTS

1 kg Lamb/mutton – cut into pieces, with bones
1 tsp. meat tenderizer – marinate your meat with this for an hour plus 1 tsp. each ginger garlic paste

Then add:

1-2 green chili – chopped
1 tbsp. Salt
1 tsp. Chili powder
1 tsp. Black cumin
small handful of chopped Coriander
small handful of chopped Mint
2 tsp. Coriander powder
1 tsp. Cumin powder
5 Onions – sliced and fried (use half in marinating and half later during layering)
1 tsp. Black pepper
whole garam masala - mace, bay leaf, black cardamom, 1 green cardamom, cloves
juice of half of a lemon
2 and ½ cups yogurt
½ cup oil

Let this marinate for at least 2 hours or more if possible.

For the Rice:

3 mugs Rice – soaked for 30min
Water
Oil - for rice
Salt – for rice
any whole spices of your choice for added flavor, like cinnamon stick, cardamom pods and cloves
milk with half tsp. soaked saffron

Boil the water with salt and oil and the whole spices, then add the soaked rice. When the rice is about 40% cooked, remove half of it, drain and set aside...then continue boiling the remaining rice until it is about halfway or 50% cooked. Drain and set aside.

Instructions for layering:

In a thick bottomed vessel pour a bit of ghee and spread the marinated meat. On top of this spread the 40% cooked rice followed by some of the remaining crushed fried onions, coriander leaves, mint leaves and lemon juice.

Spread the 50% done rice over this, then sprinkle the milk with saffron and a bit of ghee or oil. Seal the vessel with a damp cloth to keep the steam intact. Cook on high flame for 10-15minutes, till the steam escapes from the sides. Transfer the vessel to a hot tava (flat roti pan) to prevent the biryani from burning and continue cooking till the steam escapes from the sides. Lower the heat to minimum and cook for 45 minutes.