Dindigal mutton biryani recipe

INGREDIENTS:

1. Seeraga samba rice - 1 kilogram
2. Mutton (large cuts) - 1 kilogram
3. Fennel seed - 1 teaspoon (tsp.)
4. Bay leaves - 3
5. Kalpasi (black stone flower) - 4
6. Star anise - 2
7. Sliced medium size onion - 5
8. Chopped tomato - 1/2 kilogram
9. Green chili - 10
10. Chopped mint leaf - a handful
11. Coriander coriander leaf - a handful
12. Yogurt - 100 milliliter
13. Ghee - 100 milliliter
14. Oil - 100 milliliter
15. Water - 7 1/2 Cups ( 1:1.5 Rice Water ratio)
16. Salt - to taste
17. -- Grind to powder --
    1. Cinnamon stick - 3
    2. Cardamom - 12
    3. Cloves - 12
18. -- Grind to a Masala paste --
    1. Green chili - 10
    2. Shallots (sambar onion) - 100 grams
    3. Ginger - 100 grams
    4. Garlic - 100 grams
    5. Mint leaf - a handful
    6. Coriander leaf - a handful
19. -- For Marinating --
    1. Yogurt - 100 milliliter
    2. Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon (tsp.)
    3. Lemon juice - from 1 lemon
    4. Salt - little

PREPARATION:

1. Soak the rice in water 15 to 20 minutes, drain all liquid and keep it aside.
2. In a bowl add mutton, ingredients under section "-- For Marinating --" mix well and marinate this for at least 30 minutes.
3. Heat a tablespoon (tsp.) and fry the spices under the section "-- Grind to powder --" until the aroma is released. Now grind this into a fine powder.
4. Grind all the ingredients under "-- Grind to a Masala paste --" to find paste by adding little water as possible.
5. Heat oil, ghee in a pressure cooker. Now add fennel seeds, bay leaf, Kalpasi (black stone flower) , star anise until the fennel seeds stop crackling.
6. Now add sliced onion, green chili and sauté until the onion turns translucent (golden brown).
7. Now add the ground masala paste and mix well. Now cook this for 2 to 3 minutes with lid on or until the raw smell is gone.
8. Now add the mint leaves, coriander leaves, tomatoes, yogurt. Give a good mix and cook this for 5 to 7 minutes on high heat or until the tomato turns mushy.
9. Now add the marinated mutton and mix well until all these come together.
10. Now add ground powder, salt and cook this in medium flame for 10 minutes stirring continuously so nothing stuck to bottom and get burnt.
11. Now add the water, cover the pressure cooker and cook this for 2 whistle. Remove from heat the pressure cooker and wait until the pressure releases. Now place pressure cooker again in heat and bring to boil.
12. Now add the soaked rice; mix well and cook the rice until soak up half of the water. Place the pressure cooker lid and cook the biryani for 20 minutes in low heat. After 20 minutes remove the pressure cooker and keep it aside until the pressure is released.
13. Open the lid. mix the biryani carefully until masala and rice are uniform. Serve hot.

NOTES:

1. Trick is have the right water to rice ratio.
2. Usually biryani takes few attempts to be an expert. Read more