Mutton Biryani-A smoky tempting meal idea

Gather Spices:

Collect the following spices: coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, black peppercorns, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, cloves, bay leaves, and nutmeg.

Roasting:

Put a pan on the stove and turn on the heat to medium.

Add all the spices to the pan. You don't need to add any oil.

Cook the spices while stirring them continuously. Keep cooking until you start to smell a nice aroma from the spices. This might take a few minutes.

Grinding:

Once the spices are nicely roasted and fragrant, turn off the heat and let them cool down.

After the spices have cooled, transfer them to a grinder or blender.

Grind the spices until they turn into a fine powder. This might take a few minutes of grinding.

Make the Paste:

Take some ginger, garlic, green chilies, and coriander seeds.

Grind them together until they become a smooth paste. You can use a blender or mortar and pestle for this.

Mix with Yogurt and Spices:

In a bowl, put the paste you made.

Add yogurt, crushed pepper, red chili powder, biryani masala (the spice mix you made or bought), salt, chopped coriander, and mint leaves.

Stir everything together well so that all the ingredients are evenly mixed.

Add Mutton and Other Ingredients:

Put the mutton (the meat) into the bowl with the yogurt and spice mixture.

Add half of the fried onions and the chopped tomatoes.

Mix everything together gently, making sure the mutton is coated with the marinade.

Marinate:

Let the mutton sit in the marinade for 40 to 60 minutes. This allows the flavors to soak into the meat and make it more delicious.

Soak the Rice:

Take some basmati rice and put it in a bowl.

Pour double the amount of water compared to the rice into the bowl.

Let the rice soak in the water for about 20 minutes. This helps the rice cook evenly and become fluffy.

Cook the Rice:

After soaking, drain the water from the rice using a strainer.

Take a pot and fill it with water. Put it on the stove and turn on the heat to medium.

Add some spices to the water, like whole spices such as star anise, bay leaves, cloves, and cinnamon for flavor.

Once the water starts to simmer (meaning it's gently boiling), add the soaked and drained rice to the pot.

Let the rice cook in the simmering water. Keep an eye on it and stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

Cook the rice until it's about 70% done. This means it's mostly cooked but still has a bit of firmness in the center.

Drain and Cool:

When the rice is 70% done, carefully drain the water from the pot using a strainer or colander.

Rinse the rice under cold water to stop the cooking process and cool it down quickly.

Spread the cooked rice on a flat surface or a large tray to cool completely. This prevents it from becoming mushy and sticking together.

Prepare Charcoal:

Get a small piece of charcoal. You can find charcoal at stores that sell barbecue supplies or even at some grocery stores.

Heat the charcoal until it's very hot. You can do this by placing it directly on a gas stove flame or in a barbecue until it glows red hot.

Place Charcoal in the Bowl:

Take a small heatproof bowl or dish and put the hot charcoal in the middle of the bowl.

Add Ghee:

Pour some ghee (clarified butter) over the hot charcoal. You can use a spoon to do this. Be careful as the charcoal will be very hot.

Cover and Wait:

Quickly cover the bowl with a lid or aluminum foil to trap the smoke inside.

Let the bowl sit for 5 to 10 minutes. During this time, the mutton will absorb the smoky flavor from the charcoal and ghee.

Put Mutton in Pressure Cooker:

Take the marinated mutton along with all the marinade from the bowl and put it into the pressure cooker.

Close the Pressure Cooker:

Make sure the lid of the pressure cooker is securely closed.

Cook on Medium Heat:

Put the pressure cooker on the stove and turn on the heat to medium.

Wait for Whistles:

Let the mutton cook in the pressure cooker until you hear three whistles. This usually takes around 15-20 minutes.

Turn Off the Heat:

Once you've heard the three whistles, turn off the heat on the stove.

Allow Pressure to Release Naturally:

Let the pressure inside the cooker release naturally. This means you don't need to do anything, just let it sit until the pressure indicator drops down.

Open the Pressure Cooker:

Once the pressure has released completely and the pressure indicator drops, carefully open the lid of the pressure cooker.

Prepare Final Biryani Pot:

Take a large biryani pot that's suitable for cooking on the stove. Ensure it has a tight-fitting lid.

Layer Cooked Mutton with Rice:

Start by adding a layer of the cooked mutton at the bottom of the biryani pot.

Then, add a layer of the partially cooked rice on top of the mutton. Be sure to leave some space around the edges of the pot for steam to circulate.

Add Flavourful Ingredients:

Sprinkle some chopped coriander and the remaining fried onions over the layer of rice and mutton.

Pour saffron milk over the rice. This adds a beautiful colour and aroma to the biryani.

Lastly, add a few spoons of ghee (clarified butter) evenly over the top layer.

Cover and Cook:

Once you've layered all the ingredients, cover the biryani pot tightly with its lid.

Place the pot on the stove over low heat. Allow it to cook gently for about 30 to 40 minutes.

Check for Doneness:

After 30 to 40 minutes, carefully remove the lid and check if the rice is fully cooked and tender.

Once the rice is cooked and all the flavours have melded together, your biryani is ready to be served.