Kachcha mutton biryani

Biryani - there are so many different kinds of biryanis but my family's all time favourite is mutton biryani.  I don't recall where I got this recipe from so unfortunately cannot give credit for it.  However, if someone does claim it - my thanks.  Its brilliant and easy.

INGREDIENTS

500 gms Basmati Rice

6 cups water

1 tsp salt

3 bay leaves

1/2 tsp black cumin (shah zeera)

4 cardamom

1 star anise

4 cloves

1 tsp lemon juice

1. Wash and clean rice.
2. Soak for 30 min
3. Bring water to boil with all spices
4. Add rice and cook till semi done more raw
5. Drain water and keep rice aside

For garnishing

4-5 onions thinly sliced
2 tbsp ghee

1/2 cup mint leaf

1 cup chopped onion

3 tbsp cooking oil

Yellow or orange food color

1. Heat oil in the same chum vessel and fry the chopped onions to golden brown
2. Take out and keep aside for garnishing

For the masala

500 gms Chicken or Mutton with bones

1 tsp red chilly powder

2 tbsp ginger garlic paste

1/4 bunch cilantro

1/4 tsp turmeric

1 cup yogurt

1/4 mint

5 green chillies

Salt

2 tbsp oil

1. Grind everything to make a mint paste. 
2. Rub into meat
3. Place in the bottom, evenly, of the dhum vessel

For flavored water

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

2 pc Cardamom

10 peppercorn

1/2 tsp black cumin

1 strand javithri

1/2 lemon

2 tbsp Kewra water

2 tbsp ghee

1/2 inch cinnamon 

2 cloves

2 green chillies

Small scrapping of nutmeg

• Run everything through a mixer to make a fine liquid.  
• If you don't have enough time, leave aside the whole garam masala and use 2 tbsp biryani masala with other items.  
• Shaan is good brand

For dhum process

1. Spread the semi cooked rice uniformly over the meat masala
2. Mx saffron or food color with 1/4 cup warm milk and sprinkle over the rice.
3. Place a heavy tawa on the stove and heat it
4. Over the rice spread the onions, corriander chopped, mint chopped and sprinkle with flavoured water
5. Close with a tight lid and seal with chapati dough
6. Keep on high flame till tawa gets hot, then reduce the heat and cook for 45 min
7. Can also be made in the oven at 350 c for 30 min

The cooking time is the same for both the mutton and the chicken. Since there is no water the biryani is cooked in the steam of the mutton n curd mix.

SALT AND PEPPER CHILLI PRAWNS

Serves - 4

Total time required   20 mins

Preparation time: 10 mins

Cooking time: 10 mins

Marinade

• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp salt

Other

• 250 gms large prawns
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• 1 tsp pepper + 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp chilli paste
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 3 fresh hot red chillies, deseeded and finely sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, grated or finely chopped
• 6 spring onions, cut into 5cm pieces, then halved lengthways
• 1 onion finely chopped
• corriander leaves
• 1 splash dark soy sauce
• 1 splash sesame oil
• sesame seeds for Garnishing

Marinade the prawns for 10 min with salt and lemon juice.

Wash and mix in cornflour, salt and pepper and chilli paste & keep aside.

CHILLI PASTE 

Heat the oil in a wok over a medium heat. Add the chilli, garlic, spring onions, onions and coriander and stir-fry for 3–5 minutes. 

Add the prawns, and cook for 3–5 minutes, tossing them gently until they are completely pink.  

Turn of heat and add soy sauce and sesame oil and toss gently.

Top with the sesame seeds and serve immediately.

KADHAI CHICKEN

This one was made by my daughter - under duress.  She hates cooking but has a knack of following recipes really well.  This recipe is from Nita Mehta's Learning to Cook.  Simple and easy to make, comes out real tasty.  

Dry roast 1 tbsp corriander seeds till aromatic.  Do not let it brown too much.  When cool,  crush roughly to split the seeds.

Heat about 10 - 12 tbps oil in a kadhai and temper with 1/2 tsp methi dana [fenugreek seeds] & 3 whole dry red chilli.  Stir for a couple of secs till methi dana turns golden

Add 3-4 onions cut into slices and cook till golden brown.  Add 2 tbsp garlic paste + 1 tbsp ginger paste and saute till dry.

Add in the crushed corriander seeds + 1 tsp red chilli powder + 1 tsp corriander powder and mix well

Add in 1 chicken cut into 8 - 10 pcs and cook till chicken is sealed well, stirring constantly.

Put in 4 large tomatoes chopped finely and cook for another 5 min or so.  Now add in the salt to taste, 1/4 tsp amchoor & 1/2 tsp garam masala

Cook covered for 10 - 15 mins till chicken is done and oil separates from the masala.

Add in 1/2 cup tomato puree and 1/2 cup chopped green corriander.  Cook a couple of mins

Lastly add in 1 capsicum sliced + few green chillies sliced + ginger sliced fine.  

Mix well and serve hot.