MUTTON BIRYANI

Step 1: Soak the Rice

2. Take the Basmati rice and rinse it thoroughly under cold running water. This helps remove excess starch and prevents the rice from becoming sticky.
3. After rinsing, soak the rice in enough water for about an hour. This helps the rice grains cook evenly later on.

Step 2: Prepare the Mutton

2. In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat oil over medium heat.
3. Thinly slice some onions and add them to the hot oil. Fry the onions until they turn golden brown and crispy.

4. In the same pot, add ginger paste and garlic paste to the onions. Sauté for a few minutes, or until the raw smell disappears and the mixture becomes fragrant.

5. Add mutton pieces to the pot. Cook the mutton, stirring occasionally, until it changes color.
6. Season the meat with salt, cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala, red chilli powder, and turmeric. Stir well to coat the meat in the spices and cook for a couple of minutes.
7. Add chopped tomatoes to the pot. Cook until the tomatoes become soft and start to break down.
8. Pour in some water and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let the mutton cook until it is tender. Stir occasionally to avoid sticking. If needed, add a little more water during cooking.

9. Once the mutton is tender, add whisked yogurt and stir in, make sure add the yogurt on low flame otherwise curdle in gravy, after add in dried plums to the pot. Cook until the gravy thickens to your desired consistency. Stir occasionally.

Step 3: Boil the Rice

2. In a large pot, bring enough water to a rolling boil. Add spices such as lemon slices, slit green chillies, cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, cumin seeds, star anise, green cardamom, cloves, and black peppercorns to the boiling water.
3. After the water is boiling, carefully add the soaked and drained rice to the pot. Cook the rice until it is about 80% cooked (it should still have a slight bite).
4. Once the rice is cooked to the desired doneness, drain it in a colander and set it aside.

Step 4: Layer the Biryani

2. In the pot with the mutton, begin layering the ingredients:
3. - First, add a layer of the partially boiled rice at the bottom.
4. - Next, add the cooked mutton mixture evenly over the rice.
5. - Sprinkle a generous amount of chopped fresh coriander and mint on top of the mutton.
6. - Add another layer of the boiled rice on top of the mutton.
7. In a small bowl, mix some food color into milk. Add kewra water and rose water to the milk mixture. Drizzle this colored milk mixture evenly over the top layer of rice. For added flavor, place some additional lemon slices, slit green chillies, and more chopped mint and coriander leaves on top.

Step 5: Dum Cooking

2. Cover the pot tightly with a tea towel and then place the lid on top to create a seal. This will trap steam and help the flavors meld together.
3. Cook the biryani on low heat for about 25 minutes. This slow cooking allows the spices and herbs to infuse the rice and meat with flavor.

Step 6: Serve

3. Once the biryani is done, gently mix the layers of rice and meat before serving to ensure the flavors are evenly distributed.
4. Serve the delicious layered rice biryani hot, garnished with the reserved fried onions, and enjoy it with raita and salad.