Mutton Biryani Festival Food

MUTTON BIRYANI: THE MUST HAVE INDIAN FESTIVAL FOOD (NONVEG)

The heading ofmy dish above reads non-veg in the bracket as many festivals in India includeonly vegetarian dishes as many Hindu communities in India do not cook meatduring puja days.

In India the biryani,forms amongst the most popular festival/ party foods, often being the primarydish, if not, the only. I believe I may have over the years, explored at least 30to 40 versions of the biryani and amongst my favourite is the mutton biryani preparedby my dad and mum (funnily alike). The recipe is a blend of a few cuisines andstyles ranging from Hyderabadi to even Iranian. While it is not very heavy inits oil content (as biryani often tends to get), it is nonetheless quiteextravagant in terms of its ingredients and garnishing. The fried onions in particulargive it that enchanting flavour to each bite making you want to experience severalmore rounds, till eventually the mouth, stomach and brain all reach a consensusthat you’re completely stuffed (which has happened to me on many occasions).  This dish truly represents the Indian age oldculture of haandi cooking. Its presentation, when offered in a haandi, with beautifullayers of fragrance and garnishing make it even more enticing. Today, I presentto you the must have star of Indian party food.

Time : 60minutes

Serves : 4

Ingredients

Mutton (goatmeat): 1 kilogram (I prefer mine with bones rather than boneless as the flavourof the meat around the bones is much tastier. However you can use boneless meattoo)

Basmati rice: 2 smallbowls (katoris)

Oil to deep fry:4 Tbsp

Oil to cook: 2Tbsp

Cinnamon: 1 inchstick

Bay leaves: 2

Cloves: 5 - 6

Cumin seeds - 1teaspoon

Green cardamoms(green): 3-4

Pepper cons: 6cons

Turmeric powder:1/4 teaspoon

Red chillipowder (Kashmiri laal mirchi): 1 Tsp

Meat masalapowder: 1 ½ Tsp (I like the MDH meat masala or the Shaan imported variety)

Onions: 7 mediumthinly sliced (you need lots of onions as they will also be used forgarnishing)

Green chillies: 4,slit deseeded

Tomatoes chopped:2 medium

Ginger: fresh 1inch piece peeled and diced very fine and ginger paste 3/4 teaspoon

Garlic: 4 clovespeeled and diced very fine and garlic paste 3/4 teaspoon

Thick yogurt: 1½ cup, beaten

Boondi: half cup(do not soak in water)

Fresh mintleaves: medium bowl (only leaves do not use any stems)

Fresh corianderleaves – medium bowl

Saffron: 3-4strands

Cashew nuts:8-10 pieces

Raisins: 8-10pieces

Lemon: 1 mediumsized cut into 4 equal pieces/ some wedges

Cooking:

• Boil the rice with a cardamom (opened),half Tsp oil and a pinch of salt and, once cooked, set it aside to cool on a bigplate or paraat (traditional Indian dough kneading plate)

• In a big kadhai (Indian ironwok) pour in the oil to cook, and once the oil is hot, add the bay leaves

• The moment the bay leaves arecrackling, add 3/4^th portion of the onions into the kadhai (I preferadding my bay leaves before the onions because the onions can soak in thebeautiful aroma the leaves have added to the oil. But, you can add the leaveslater too with the other un powdered masalas/ spices)

• Once the onions start turningpink add the diced ginger and in about 20 seconds add the diced garlic

• Once the garlic is turninggolden, add the ginger and garlic pastes along with turmeric powder (it helps controlthe splatter from the paste)  and sautéfor a minute on medium flame

• Add the red chilli powder, thenslowly the cinnamon stick, cloves, green cardamoms, half the portion of the meatmasala and sauté for about 20 seconds

• Now add the mutton pieces intothis mixture and mix the spices gently with it

• In 5 minutes, add the tomatoes andmix well

• Add the remainder portion ofthe meat masala and cook for another 4-5 minutes on small flame

• Cook the meat with the mixtureon medium then low flame for about 30 – 35 minutes stirring intermittently andthen switch off the gas and keep it covered with a lid

• In a separate kadhai ornon-stick pan pour in the deep frying oil and once the oil is hot deep fry thecashews and then the raisins

• In the same oil, deep fry theremainder sliced onion s (please take 1/3^rd portions at a time sothat you don’t clutter the pan and the onions can be fried to proper crispness)

• After you remove the friedonions, deep fry the green chillies

• Let all the deep fried itemscool down spread out in a plate

• Now take a big handi and layer itwith rice and alternately with the meat, saffron, mint leaves and corianderleaves (using only half the portion of the mint and coriander leaves. I usesome of these here to give it that aroma)

• Cover the handi with a lid and sealwith the kneaded dough and keep it to warm on a low heat for about 5 minutes (youcan use a thick tawa under the handi so that the rice doesn’t stick to thebottom)

• Now open the lid and garnish itwith all the above fried items and the remainder portion of the mint andcoriander leaves

• Your biryani is ready

For the Raita

• Beat the yogurt in a deep bowland add some water (don’t make it too watery just enough to losen the yogurt alittle)

• Now add in the boondi, a littlerock salt (remember the boondi may already be salted so add more salt only asneeded), red chilli powder, jeera powder (roasted jeera powder is best) and blendit in a bowl

Serve the biryani warm with lemon wedges on the side and a bowl of raita.