Mutton/Chicken Biryani

Biryani, biriani, biriyani, buriyani, beryani or beriani is a rice-based dish made with spices, rice and chicken, mutton, fish, eggs or vegetables. The name is derived from the Persian word beryā which means “fried” or “roasted”

The spices and condiments used in biryani may include, but are not limited to, ghee, nutmeg, mace,pepper, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves, coriander, mint leaves, ginger, onions, and garlic …the premium varieties include saffron

The ground spices I used for marinating the mutton/chicken  … the whole spices in the saucer in the middle is whole garam masala … for the rice as well as the curry

For a non-vegetarian biryani, the main ingredient that accompanies the spices is the meat—beef, chicken, mutton, lamb, fish or shrimps …. here, I’m using boneless mutton

Marinating the mutton/chicken overnight with yogurt, garam masala, garlic & ginger paste, turmeric powder and chilly powder …mixed the meat thoroughly with the yogurt and spices, cover and let it marinate for 2 hours

First thing is boil your rice with the whole garam masala till about ¾ cooked

the ¾ cooked rice, left aside to cool

Deep-fry the sliced onions until golden brown

Golden-fried onion … I spread some of this in every layer but if you don’t fancy so much onions then just spread it atop the last layer of rice

Brush base of your pot with ghee and line it with a few bay leaves

Layering process … put a layer of rice first then sprinkle rice with the milk/saffron mix, rose water, lime juice, chopped green chillies and spread some golden-fried onion (if using) then top with a layer of the mutton/chicken curry and keep repeating this layering process with final layer being rice …seen here is pix of my biryani with boneless chicken

The layering complete and ready to be cooked in the oven or steamed

Biryani is ready and being served up 🙂

Mutton Biryani is eady to be tucked in!

Chicken Biryani served up with a fresh salad of lettuce, radish & cherry tomatoes

RECIPE

Ingredients :

500 g Basmati rice

1kg boneless mutton/lamb/chicken, cut into chunky pieces

1 large onion, sliced

¾ cup golden fried sliced onion

6 garlic cloves, crushed

½ cup yogurt, beaten

1 can chopped tomatoes

½ cup cashew nuts (optional)

3 Tbsp Red chilli powder or 6 red fresh chillies

2 fresh green chillies, chopped

1 Tbsp coriander powder

4 Tbsp garam masala powder

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp ground mace

1 Tbsp turmeric powder

1 Tbsp saffron, dissolved in ½ cup hot milk

2 Tbsp rose water

juice of 1 lemon

salt

½ cup oil

50g ghee

a handful of fresh coriander or mint, chopped

Whole spices :

4 bay leaves

10 green whole cardamom

6 black whole cardamom

2 Tbsp black cumin seeds

10 cloves

2 x 2″ cinnamon sticks

Method :

• Mix well salt, ½ of the red chilli powder, ½ of chopped ginger and chopped garlic, 1 tsp garam masala powder, ½ of turmeric powder and all the yogurt and marinate meat pieces for 2 hours
  
• Wash and soak rice in water for about 30 minutes … heat 1 Tsp oil and crackle half of the whole spices in the heated oil … add rice and fry for a minute then add enough water and salt to taste and cook rice until ¾ done… set aside to cool … discard whole garam masala
• Make a fine paste with remainder of red chilli and the cashew nuts
• Heat oil in a thick bottom pan … add remaining whole garam masala and let it crackle then add sliced onions and sauté until light golden brown and then red chilli & cashew paste for 5 minutes … add in remaining chopped ginger, chopped garlic, coriander powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder fry for 1 minutes … add canned chopped tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes then add in the marinated meat, bring to a boil and reduce heat and simmer until meat is tender
• Dissolve saffron in warm milk and set aside 
• Take a heat proof pot and brush base of pot with ghee and lay the rest of the bay leaves … spread alternate layers of rice and meat … sprinkling saffron dissolved in milk, golden fried onions, chopped green chillies, lemon juice and  dot with ghee in between layers and finish with a rice layer on top, sprinkled with saffron milk, golden fried onions, rose water and dot with ghee
• Cover and cook in a pre-heated oven for 20 minutes and garnish with chopped coriander/mint … you may also garnish with sliced hard-boiled eggs and some cashew nuts … serve hot with some of the meat curry/gravy on the side