NAWABI MUTTON BIRIYANI

I have to admit the fact that every nerve in my body thinks of food and this addiction was induced into me by my mom who herself is an excellent cook.
We have been having quite many affairs with food and when it comes to celebration there is no feast without the traditionally cooked Biriyani's. from my childhood I have seen the experties making this lovely dish in BIG vessels and in the end of the whole lengthy process they seal the edges of the vessel with some flour mixed with water, something like a glue and  after an hour or so they break open the seal and OH GOOD HEAVENS !!!!  the flavour just fills the air.Favourite of my family, traditionally cooked,handed over through generations....all that pain you take is mind bonglingly delicious when plated.

INGREDIENTS TO COOK RICE:

• Basmati rice – 3 glasses
• Water – 6 glasses
• Salt – 3 tsps
• Cinnamon sticks – 1
• Cloves – 3
• Small elaichi – 3 crushed
• Star anise – 1
• Javithri – 1
• All spices leaf – 1 / Bay leaf - 1
• Ghee – 3 tbsps.
• Onions chopped finely lengthwise – 1 cup
• Chopped coriander leaves – a handful

Method to cook rice:

1. Soak rice for 5 mins and strain and keep aside
2. In a large pan, add ghee and a tbsp of oil and deep fry onions till brown and crisp and keep aside
3. To the remaining ghee add the whole garam masala.
4. Now add the rice and stir frequently keeping in mind that the rice doesn’t break.
5. Once the rice looks dry and slightly golden brown, add to this the boiling water and salt.
6. Allow it to bubble on high flame.
7. Reduce the flame to low and cook rice with a lid on.
8. After every 10 mins see that the rice is given a stir so that the rice below comes on top and the one on top goes down.
9. Once all the water has dried up remove from flame and spread onto a huge plate and allow to rest for a while.
10. If you leave rice in the same vessel in which it was cooked then rice gets overcooked and becomes sticky which is a BIG NO  for biriyani.
11. If required you can remove all the garam masala pieces from it.

INGREDIENTS TO COOK MEAT:

• Mutton – ½ kg
• Onion – 5 (sliced thin)
• Tomato – 5 (sliced thin)
• Green chilly – 8 ( crushed coarsely)
• Ginger,garlic paste – 1 tbsp
• Oil – 3 tbsps
• Curry leaves – a handful
• Corriander leaves – ½ cup (chopped)
• Fresh cream – 1 tbsp
• Hot Milk – ¼ cup
• Cashewnuts  - 1 tbsp
• Corriander pwd – 1 tbsp
• Turmeric pwd – ½ tsp
• Fennel pwd – 1 tsp
• Pepper pwd – 1tsp
• Garam masala – 1 tsp(includes cardamom,cloves,cinnamon,star anise,nutmeg)
• Salt – as req

 METHOD:

1. Marinate mutton pcs with cream ginger,garlic paste, coriander leaves, pepper pwd and garam masla.
2. Soak cashews in hot milk for 15 mins.
3. Grind to a paste along with the milk.
4. In a cooker pour in oil and sauté the onions till golden brown.
5. To this add the tomatoes and curry leaves and sauté till tomatoes start to mash.
6. Add green chilly and marinated meat and mix well.
7. Cook for 10 mins .
8. To this add the rest of ingredients ( dry masala’s) and mix well.Cook for 10 mins ,stirring in between.
9. Add 1 cup water,mix well and close the lid.
10. Cook for 25 mins after the first whistle on low flame.
11. Remove the lid when done and cook till the water is completely dried and masala looks creamy.

 FOR LAYERING:

• Fried onions (refer to cook rice)
• Chopped coriander leaves
• Raisins and cashews fried in ghee
• Saffron soaked in water(opt) – 2 tsps

 PRESENTATION:

1. In a big vessel,put in half the meat and sprinkle on top some onions ,nuts and coriander leaves.
2. Spread half of the rice.
3. Spread the rest of meat mixture, sprinkle some more onions,nuts and coriander leaves,saving some.
4. Spread the rest of rice evenly.
5. Top it with nuts, fried onions, coriander leaves and the saffron water
6. Make a hole deep down in the centre.
7. Cover with a foil and keep it on stove on low flame for 10 mins.
8. Just before serving remove the foil and serve with raita ( curd salad), pappad and pickle.

For more traditional recipes visit:http://naskeralacuisine.blogspot.com