Biryani’s demand technique and attention to detail to best enhance flavour and ideal meat tenderness. Mutton isn’t the most tender of meats, but the lengthy duration of this biryani’s cooking time ensures that it is tender
and delicious once cooked. The addition of lentils not only provides more protein, but also boasts complex carbohydrates and fibre. The layering of the rice in the dish soaks up the flavour and cooks within the sauce, also ensuring that each serving provides a balance of the contents of the dish. Serve with salad or vegetables on the side to complete.
Fry the sliced onions in half the ghee or oil until pale golden. Drain and cool. Leave aside 1 tablespoon of fried onions. Place the meat in a large bowl. Add the saffron, ginger and garlic, sour milk, tomatoes, spices, remaining fried onions, whole green chillies and mint and leave to marinate for 1 hour. Boil the rice with 2 cardamom pods and 1 cinnamon stick until half cooked and drain. Peel the potatoes and cut each potato in 6. Fry the potatoes until light yellow in the Ghee used for frying the onions. Set aside. In a large flat bottomed pot, add the ghee used for frying and the half that was kept aside and gently heat. Sprinkle a handful of rice and lentils over the base of the pot.
Arrange the marinating meat and masalas carefully over the rice and lentils. Spread the remaining lentils over the meat.
Arrange the potatoes on top of the lentils, then spread the rice on top. Decorate with the fried onions that were set aside, sprinkle with any remaining ghee and 125ml water. Close the pot and turn up the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Place the covered pot in the oven at 160C for 2 ½ hours. Serve with fresh dhania, sambals, raita and minted sour milk.
Tips: You can use beef or chicken instead of mutton, and reduce the Ghee further by spraying your pot with spray and cook. If you prefer hotter biryani, add additional chillies, or reduce the amount of chillies for a milder dish.
Ingredients
Directions
Fry the sliced onions in half the ghee or oil until pale golden. Drain and cool. Leave aside 1 tablespoon of fried onions. Place the meat in a large bowl. Add the saffron, ginger and garlic, sour milk, tomatoes, spices, remaining fried onions, whole green chillies and mint and leave to marinate for 1 hour. Boil the rice with 2 cardamom pods and 1 cinnamon stick until half cooked and drain. Peel the potatoes and cut each potato in 6. Fry the potatoes until light yellow in the Ghee used for frying the onions. Set aside. In a large flat bottomed pot, add the ghee used for frying and the half that was kept aside and gently heat. Sprinkle a handful of rice and lentils over the base of the pot.
Arrange the marinating meat and masalas carefully over the rice and lentils. Spread the remaining lentils over the meat.
Arrange the potatoes on top of the lentils, then spread the rice on top. Decorate with the fried onions that were set aside, sprinkle with any remaining ghee and 125ml water. Close the pot and turn up the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Place the covered pot in the oven at 160C for 2 ½ hours. Serve with fresh dhania, sambals, raita and minted sour milk.
Tips: You can use beef or chicken instead of mutton, and reduce the Ghee further by spraying your pot with spray and cook. If you prefer hotter biryani, add additional chillies, or reduce the amount of chillies for a milder dish.