Malabar mutton dum biryani recipe

INGREDIENTS:

1. -- For biryani rice --
   1. Basmati Rice - 2 cup
   2. Water - 4 cup
   3. Cardamom - 6
   4. Cloves - 6
   5. Cinnamon - 2 medium size pieces
   6. Lemon Juice - 1 or 2 tablespoon (tbsp.)
   7. Ghee - 2 tablespoon (tbsp.)
   8. Salt - as needed
2. -- For Masala -
   1. Mutton - 500gm
   2. Sliced Onion - 2 big
   3. Sliced Garlic - 7 cloves
   4. Crushed Ginger - 1 big piece
   5. Crushed Green chili - 5
   6. Sliced Tomato - 3
   7. Garam masala - 1/2 teaspoon (tsp.)
   8. Ghee- 2 tablespoon (tbsp.)
3. --For white paste --
   1. Coconut - 3 tablespoon (tbsp.)
   2. Cashew - 7
   3. Poppy seeds (optional ) - 2 teaspoon (tsp.)
4. -- For Marinating --
   1. Sliced Onion - 1
   2. Curd - 2 dessertspoon(dstspn.)
   3. Turmeric powder - 1/2 teaspoon (tsp.)
   4. Pepper powder - 1 teaspoon (tsp.)
   5. Lemon juice - 1 teaspoon (tsp.)
   6. Garam masala - 1/2 teaspoon (tsp.)
   7. Salt - as needed

PREPARATION:

1. Grind the ingredients under the section "--For white paste --" into a thick fine paste by adding little water as possible.
2. Soak the rice for 25 minutes and drain the water completely.
3. Add 4 cups of water, 3 cardamom, 3 cloves, 1 cinnamon in pan and bring to boil. Boil for couple of minutes remove from strove and let it cool to room temperature.
4. Preparing mutton masala: Marinate mutton pieces with all the ingredients under the section "-- For Marinating -- " for 1 or 2 hour.
5. Heat ghee in a pressure cooker. Sauté onions till it becomes translucent. Add crushed ginger, garlic , green chilies and sauté them.
6. Now add tomatoes and sauté until tomato becomes mushy now add garam masala and sauté for 5 minutes.
7. Now add marinated mutton pieces mix well until they are coated well.
8. Now water as needed enough water and cook. When mutton is half cooked add the ground paste white paste and cook until mutton is cooked tender and the gravy becomes thick Remove from fire and keep it aside. NOTE: Masala should not be watery it should be thick enough to spread over rice in layers.
9. Preparing Biryani Rice:
10. Heat ghee in a pan add rest of the cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick and let the splutter.
11. Now add and roast the rice until they become translucent. When the rice starts cracking add boiled water, salt , lemon juice.
12. Cook the rice till the water is completely dried and rice is cooked.
13. Spread the rice on a tray and let it cool for sometime.
14. Layering and cooking the Biryani:
15. Preheat the oven to 180 degree Celsius (350 Fahrenheit).
16. Apply some ghee to a baking dish. Spread one layer of masala first and a layer of rice on top of it. Repeat the same. NOTE: The top layer should be of rice.
17. Spread a wet cloth over the dish while baking. Bake biryani for 25 to 30 minutes.
18. Garnish with fried onions, nuts, raisins and serve

NOTES:

1. You can drizzle ghee and sprinkle coriander leaves in between the layers.