Mutton Biriyani

Ingredients:

1. Mutton                                                : 1 kg (1 1/2 inch)
2. Basmati rice                                         : 1 1/2 cup
3. Ginger                                                 : 4-inch piece
4. Saffron                                                : 7-8 strands
5. Milk                                                    : 1/2 cup (warm)
6. Yogurt                                                 : 2 cups
7. Salt                                                     : to taste
8. Turmeric Powder                                : 1 tsp
9. Garlic paste                                         : 1 1/2 tbsp
10. Oil                                                      : to deep fry
11. Onions                                                : 4-5 (thinly sliced)
12. Cloves                                                : 4-5
13. Cinnamon                                           : 1-inch stick
14. Green cardamoms                              : 4-5
15. Black cardamoms                               : 1-2
16. Peppercones                                      : 6-8
17. Ghee                                                  : 5 tbsp
18. Green chillies                                      : 2 (chopped)
19. Coriander powder                              : 2 tbsp
20. Cumin powder                                   : 1 tbsp
21. Red chilli powder                               : 1 tsp
22. Tomatoes                                          : 4 (chopped)
23. Garam masala powder                       : 2 tsp
24. Fresh coriander leaves                       : 1/2 bunch (chopped)
25. Fresh mint leaves                               : 1/2 bunch (chopped)
26. Butter                                                : 3 tbsp

Method:

• Soak rice for half an hour. Drain and keep aside.
• Cut half the ginger into julienne and make a paste of the rest.
• Soak saffron in warm milk and keep aside. 
• Marinate mutton in yogurt, salt, turmeric powder and one tbsp each of ginger and garlic paste. Marinate for four hours in a refrigerator.
• Heat oil in a kadai and fry half the sliced onions till brown. Drain and keep aside.
• Cook rice in salted boiling water along with cloves, cinnamon, green and black cardamoms and peppercorns till rice is almost cooked.
• Heat ghee in a thick-bottomed pan. Add remaining sliced onions and green chillies. Cook till onions are golden brown. Add remaining ginger and garlic paste. Add marinated mutton and cook on high heat for 7-8 minutes. Add coriander, cumin and red chilli powders. Mix and stir in 3 cups of water.
• On low heat, cook covered. Add tomatoes, salt, half the garam masala powder and fresh coriander leaves. Cook for 15 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius. 
• Arramge half the quantity of cooked mutton in an ovenproof dish and spread half the quantity of cooked rice on top of the mutton. Sprinkle some garam masala powder, half each of julienned ginger, dissolved saffron and mint leaves.
• Spread the mutton on top of the rice, followed by cooked rice and repeat the earlier process with the remaining quantities of ginger, saffron milk, garam masala, mint leaves and butter.
• Cover it with an aluminium foil and cook for 20 minutes.
• Serve hot.