Ingredients:
Lamb – 1 kg
For the Rice:
Basmati Rice – 2 1/2 cups
Green cardamoms – 6
Cloves – 10
Cinnamon – 2 one inch sticks
Cumin seeds – 1 tsp
Nutmeg – 1/2
Mace – 3 to 4 blades
Water – 10 cups
Bay Leaves – 5
Saffron – a few strands, mixed with 1 tbsp water or milk
Garlic – 50gm
Ginger – 1 one inch piece
Ghee – 1 1/4 cups
Onions – 2 tbsp, sliced
Cloves – 1 tsp, powdered
Mace – 3 gm
Cinnamon Sticks – 1 tsp, powdered
Green Cardamoms – 5, powdered
Salt to taste
Yoghurt – 3/4 cup
Yellow Chilli Powder – 2 tsp
Saffron – a few strands
Mint Leaves – 1 sprig
Vetiver Essence – 1 tsp
Onions – 2, medium, sliced, browned
Black Cumin Seeds – 1 tsp
Lemon juice – 1
Cream – 1 1/4 cups
Method:
1. For the rice, tie all the spices except bay leaves, in a muslin cloth.
2. Immerse in water and bring to the boil.
3. Add the rice and bay leaves.
4. Cook till the rice is half done.
5. Drain out the water and spread the rice on a tray.
6. Colour half the rice with the saffron mixture.
7. Mix the white and the saffron coloured rice together.
8. Keep aside.
9. Grind the ginger and garlic and squeeze the extract.
10. Heat the ghee in a pan
11. Brown the onions and keep aside to cool.
12. Grind and mix the lamb.
13. Add the ginger garlic extract.
14. Mix in the powdered cloves, mace, cinnamon, green cardamom, and salt.
15. Cook the lamb in a kadai till brown.
16. Add the yoghurt and yellow chilli powder.
17. Mix well.
18. Once the gravy thickens, add a little water.
19. When the lamb is tender, remove the lamb pieces, and strain the gravy.
20. Grind the saffron and blend into the cooked lamb.
21. Mix the strained gravy with the lamb.
22. Line the bottom of the pan with ghee.
23. Add one layer of rice.
24. Then a layer of lamb curry.
25. Repeat till all the rice and curry are used up.
26. The last layer should be of rice.
27. Sprinkle the mint leaves, vetiver essence, fried onions and black cumin seeds on top of the rice.
28. Add the lemon juice and cream close the lid tightly and seal with dough.
29. Keep the pan on a slow charcoal fire with a few live charcoals on the lid for about 45 minutes (this is the traditional way of making biryani).
30. You can also keep it in the oven for 30 minutes.
31. Serve hot.
