Hyderabadi Mutton Biryani

Ingredients:

• Basmati Rice 500 gms.
• Mutton cut into small pieces 1kg.
• Garam Masala 2 tsp.
• Red chilies 6 nos.
• Cashewnuts a handful
• Onions (sliced fine and fried till crisp) 5 nos.
• Cloves 2 nos.
• Dalchini 2 pieces
• Elaichi 3 nos.
• Green chilies 6 nos.
• Kothmir, chopped 1 small bunch
• Pudina chopped 1 small bunch
• Ginger Garlic paste 3 tsp.
• Saffron (dissolved in ¾ cup milk) 2 pinches
• Curd beaten 1 cup
• Lime juice 2 nos.
• Eggs boiled 4 nos.
• Ghee /Oil 5 tbsp.
• Salt to taste

Cooking Method:

1. Grind the red chilies and cashewnuts to a fine paste.
2. To the mutton apply the ginger - garlic paste and beaten curd. Set aside.
3. Heat 4 tablespoons ghee and fry the red chili masala.
4. Add the marinated mutton, ¼ of the fried onion, one teaspoon garam masala and salt to taste.
5. Keep frying till ghee separates. Add 1½ cups warm water. Pressure cook till tender.
6. Heat dekchi, add 1 tbsp ghee and fry the sabut masala.
7. Add the rice and fry a little. Add the green chilies and salt to taste.
8. Add enough warm water. Cook till rice is done, remove and spread on a thali, discarding the whole masala.
9. Mix together the chopped kothmir, pudina, garam masala and fried onion. Set aside.
10. Take a heavy bottlomed dekchi and line it with ghee.
11. Spread a layer of rice and cover it with half of the mutton.
12. Sprinkle half of the pudina / kothmir mixture and juice of 1 lime.
13. Cover with rice, followed by a mutton layer. Finish with a rice layer.
14. Sprinkle the rice with saffron milk and dot with ghee.
15. Cover tightly and place over a griddle for dum for 20 minutes.
16. Serve hot, garnished with eggs cut into halves.