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.

ANYONE FOR A CHINESE MEAL ??

It has been a harrowing week - started off with pouring rain on Sunday, the road outside our condominium sinking in, 2 cars getting caved in, my son falling sick - ooof

Poor Aakash - having to eat the most boring food due to his bad throat.  Yesterday he finally threw a fit and demanded something interesting.  Poor chap.  So like the dutiful mother [I try ;)] I decided to make him Chinese or at least the Indianised version of Chinese.

It was a simple meal of Fried Rice, Hot Garlic Mushrooms and Salt and Pepper Chilli Prawns.

Great to see a smile on his face after a week.