Calcutta Mutton
biryani
Ingredients
1.mutton (boneless if possible) -500g
2.best quality basmati rice(daawat or India gate) -4cups
3.hung curd-1cup
4.ginger paste-2spoon
5.garlic paste-2spoon
6.cardamom,cloves,cinnamon
7.rose water -2,3tsp
8.kewra water-2,3tsp
9.milk -.5cup
10.saffron -8-10 strands
11.onion sliced -1big
12.onions sliced and deep fried with pinch of sugar(brista) - 3-4onions.
13.potato cut in halves, and half boiled in salt water.
14.meeta ator few drops,
15.ghee
16.oil sunflower
17.lime juice -.5lime
18.good brand biryani masala(shaan i used) or make your own. follow recipe
below.
Process
The Rice :
1. Wash the rice well until water runs clean.
2.soak rice in salt water for 1hour.
3. In a kadhai heat little oil just enough to coat the rice.pour the drained
rice on it and saute very lightly without stirring much.careful not to break
the rice grains.
4.heat water double of rice(8 cups) with salt,cardamom,cloves,cinnamon,rose
water a few drops and a few drops of lime juice.
5.boil rice in the water.as soon as water starts boiling,the rice should be
done al dante.move it from heat immediately,drain the rice and spread it on a
big plate.very lightly,mix some ghee to it without stirring much.this is to
avoid lumps.be very careful not to overcook rice,or biryani ll lose its
texture.take it off heat when its almost cooked(al dante) and not fully cooked.
The meat and potatoes :
6.in a kadhai,heat oil and ghee in 1:1proportion .give mutton pieces and cook
for 5mins in high heat.
7. Give ginger,garlic paste and cook with mutton till oil separates.
8.give 1cup of beaten hung curd.give few drops of rose water and 1tsp of
biryani masala.give salt.
9.cook the meat and the previously half boiled potatoes covered on low
flame.till the water evaporates from curd.keep stirring every 5mins.
10. Take out the potatoes after sometime,keep aside.
10.when meat is half cooked ,put in pressurecooker with 1/2cup water.cook till
done.
11.take out the meat pieces and strain the meat curry to get the pure curry and
oil without the masala - this is tar.keep it aside.put some rose water,little
lime juice,1/2tsp chili powder and salt (if read) to the tar and the meat
pieces separately.
The assembling :
12. Heat half cup milk and soak saffron in it for 30mins.you can use some
yellow food color too if you want .
13.in a heavy bottom pan, smear it with ghee well all around.
14.put a layer of tez patta below. the bottom layer will get burnt thus
protecting with tez patta.
15.put a layer of meat and aloo on top.
16.layer the rice on top of meat/aloo.
17.spread little tar on the rice, along with 1/2tsp ghee,2tsp oil,1/2tsp rose
and kewra water,little milk,some brissta.a generous spoon of biryani
masala. spread this well so that the rice gets more or less covered.now spread
some food color if using and don't mix it ,let it be.
18.another layer of meat,aloo and then rice just like before.keep layering till
done with contents.
19.in a saucepan put some water and keep the biryani vessel on it.cover biryani
vessel with a lid,and put weight on top to make it air tight.
20.on low flame,cook for 45mins.give a good shake in between.
21.Serve with chicken chaap(recipe to follow).
