Velan's Cuisine Extraordinaire

[mappi]

Mutton Biriyani

Vessel : Pressure Cooker

Meat 500g (with bones)
Basmati Rice 1 cup (Azhaku)
Water = 1 cup for meat + 2 cups for Rice

Note: spices can be adjusted according to your taste, including the hotness with chili powder or green chillis

Step 1: Clean Meat

For cleaning meat : 2 tablespoon Sesame oil and 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

Seperate meat as much possible from the bones and Cut them into small pieces. Wash the meat well under running warm water. Mix it with turmeric powder and sesame oil. Set aside for 15 minutes. Wash it thoroughly again. This will kill any germs that are still present in the meat.

Step 2: Preparing Biriyani Masala

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds (somb)
5 to 8 grains of Pepper seeds
10 grains of Corriander seeds
1 star anis
5 cloves
2 Carmon (pealed, seeds only)
Cinamon stick
1/2 Mace

Heat pan and fry each spice seperately. Roast them without burning them. Grind them into powder. Make 2 portions of Biriyani Masala.

Step 3: Marination

Grind to paste : 2 cloves of garlic, ginger, 1 green chilli

Keep aside the bones from the meat. Add the paste to the meat and mix well. Add 2 table spoon curd, 1/4 teaspoon chilli powder, 1 teaspoon Corriander Powder, 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder, salt. Add one portion of Biriyani Masala (see Step 2) and Mix well. Add the bones and mix well. Set aside in room temperature for 30 minutes.

Step 4: Biriyani

1 Tablespoon cooking oil
2 Tablespoon Ghee
Ginger Garlic paste (2 cloves of garlic + ginger)
1 medium onion
3 medium tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon Chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon Corriander powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric power
2 cloves
2 Cardamon with skin but crushed
Cinamon stick
1 Bay Leaf
Mint leaves
Corriander leaves
Biriyani Masala 2nd portion (See Step 2)
Cashew Nuts - optional
Salt - OPTIONAL (attention, you have already salt added to the meat marination. Be moderate)

01/ Clean 1 cup of Rice (Basmati). Rinse water and keep it aside.

02/ Cut onions and tomatoes into thin slices.

03/ In pressure cooker heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil + 1 tablespoon of Ghee.

04/ Fry cinamon stick, bay leaf, cloves, cardamon.

05/ Add onions and fry until it turns white. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute, then, add tomatoes. Fry until tomatoes are dry. Add Mint leaves and stir for a minute. Add coriander leaves and stir for a minute.

06/ Add meat and mix well with the onion-tomato.

07/ Add one cup of water and cook the meat in the pressure cooker.

Note : Pressure cooking time depends on the texture of the meat. Generally I cook mutton for about 25 minutes in low flame after the first whistle.

08/ Once the pressure cook lid is open, cook the meat in high flame to remove the remaining water.

09/ While evaporating the water with heat, add chilli powder, corriander powder, turmeric powder and the 2nd portion of Biriyani Masala (& salt). Stir well until the meat forms a thick gravy.

10/ Add rice and mix well with the meat gravy. Dont be hard on the rice while stiring, else, you risk breaking them. Add cashew nuts.

11/ Add 2 cups of water and bring to a mild boil. Add 1 tablespoon of ghee and close the lid.

12/ Pressure cook for 8 minutes over low flame after the first whistle.

13/ Open the lid, stir the Biriyani and close it back. Serve after 10 minutes.