Sindhi Mutton Biriyani

Wishing all my readers a very happy New Year!!

Sindhi Mutton Biriyani
Ingredients (Serves 5 – 6)

1. Mutton – 1 kg, cubed

Potato – 2 medium, peeled and cut into large cubes

2. Refined oil –  1 cup

3. Onion – 2.5 cups, thinly sliced

4. Ghee – 2 tbsp + oil – 2 tbsp (leftover oil from frying onion)

5. Whole spices – green cardamom – 4, black cardamom – 1, bay leaf – 2, cinnamon stick – 1 inch broken, cloves – 5

Ginger and garlic paste – 2.5 tbsp

6. Yoghurt, sour – 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp

Tomato – 1 small, sliced

Green chilies – 5, slit

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Chilli powder  –  2 tsp

Coriander powder – 2 tsp

Pepper powder – 3/4 tsp

Cumin powder /cumin seeds – 1 tsp

Garam masala powder – 2 – 3 tsp (recipe below)

7.  Hot water – 3/4 cup

8. Aloo bukhara / dry plum – 6

Chopped cilantro – 2 tbsp

Mint leaves – 2 tbsp, chopped

9. Salt – To taste

For the rice

10. Basmati rice – 3 cups, soaked in enough water for at least 30 minutes and then drained

11. Whole spices – bay leaves – 2, cloves – 6, green cardamom – 3,  cinnamon stick – 1 inch broken, kala jeera – 1/2 tsp

Ghee – 2 – 3 tsp

Salt – To taste

To layer

12. Fried onion – 1/3 cup

Saffron – 1 pinch soaked in 2 tbsp hot water

Chopped mint and cilantro – 2 tbsp

Garam masala powder – 1 – 2 pinches

Ghee – 1 – 2 tbsp

Tomato slices – 8

Lemon slices – 8

Method

1. Heat 1 cup oil in a pan. Add sliced onion and fry till golden brown. Remove to a plate lined with paper towel. Set aside 1/3 cup fried onion for garnishing.

2. Boil water in a saucepan adding salt (and a pinch of orange food color, optional). Add large potato cubes and boil till 60 % cooked. Drain well and set aside.

3. Heat 2 tbsp oil (you can use the leftover oil from frying onion) + 2 tbsp ghee in a pan over medium heat. Add whole spices numbered 5 and ginger-garlic paste. Cook for a minute. Add mutton pieces, fried onion (set aside 1/3 cup fried onion to garnish later) and mix well. Cook for 4 – 5 minutes over medium heat. Add yoghurt, tomato, green chilies, turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, pepper powder, cumin powder and garam masala powder. Mix well and cook for 3 – 4 minutes until oil starts separating. Add 3/4 cup hot water and mix well. Transfer this to a pressure cooker and cook for 4 – 5 whistles till mutton is completely cooked and soft. Open the cooker after 15 minutes. Add aloo bukhara / dry plums, boiled potato,  2 tbsp chopped mint and cilantro. Mix well and set aside until rice is ready.

4. Meanwhile boil water in a large vessel adding the numbered 11. Taste-check for salt. The water should be slightly salty. Add soaked and drained rice and cook until the rice is 75 – 80 % cooked. Drain well.

5. In a heavy-bottomed vessel or oven-proof vessel  smear 2 tsp ghee and spread half of the mutton at the bottom. Top it with half of the hot cooked rice. Sprinkle fried onion, chopped mint and cilantro. Spread the remaining mutton on top along with any gravy, followed by the remaining rice. Top with fried onion, saffron water, garam masala powder, ghee, tomato and lemon slices. Cover tightly with an aluminium foil. Bake at 400 F for 10 – 15  minutes. OR Heat a wide tawa over high heat for a few minutes. Once hot, bring down the heat to medium. Place the biriyani pot and cook for 3 minutes over medium heat and 5 minutes over the lowest heat. Switch off. Let it rest unopened for another 10 – 15 minutes in the biriyani pot. Yummy Sindhi mutton biriyani is ready to enjoy! Serve hot with  green chutney and kachumber salad.

Garam masala powder recipe

1. Cumin seeds – 2 tbsp
2. Black pepper – 1 tsp
3. Cloves – 8 – 10
4. Black cardamom – 1
5. Green cardamom – 4 – 5
6. Cinnamon stick –  1/2 inch
7. Javithri / mace – A tiny piece
8. Nutmeg – 1/8th of one nutmeg

Grind the above ingredients to a fine powder. You need only 1.5 – 2 tsp for this recipe. Store the remaining in an air-tight container to use later.