Serves 8

Ingredients–
For mutton curry –
- 1 kg mutton cut into 2” cubes
- 1 1/4 cups oil
- 5 cloves
- 5 green cardamoms
- 2” cinnamon stick
- 3 large onions finely chopped
- 1/2 cup finely chopped mint leaves
- 1 cup finely chopped coriander leaves
- 2 tbsp ginger paste
- 2 tbsp garlic paste
- 1 tbsp salt
- 2 tbsp red chilli powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 4 large potatoes, cut in halves
- 1.5 cups yogurt
- 1/4 fresh coconut, ground to a paste
- 6 slit green chillies
For Rice –
- 1 kg basmati rice
- 10 mint leaves
- 6 cloves
- 6 green cardamoms
- 6 pieces of 1” cinnamon sticks
- 4 tbsp salt
To complete the biryani –
- Juice of 2 limes
- 3 pinches of saffron threads soaked in 1/2 cup milk
Method –
For mutton curry –
- Wash the meat and set in a colander to drain
- Put the oil in a pressure cooker on moderate heat
- When hot, add the whole spices and fry till they splutter
- Add the onions and fry till golden brown
- Add the mint and coriander leaves and fry well for about 5 minutes
- Add ginger, garlic and salt and fry for about 5 minutes sprinkling water as required
- Add the spice powders and cook for about 5 minutes
- Add the meat
- Now cook for about 10 minutes stirring continuously
- Pour in 1/4 cup water and pressure cook for 10 minutes after the cooker reaches full pressure
- Open the cooker and add the potatoes
- Pressure cook for 5 minutes so that the potatoes are cooked
- Stir in the yogurt after opening the cooker and start reducing the curry, till the water evaporates and oil separates, leaving a thick non runny gravy
- Lower the heat and add the coconut paste
- Add the chillies after a few minutes
- Take the pan off the heat, remove 1/2 cup oil which will be used later
For rice –
- Wash the rice and soak it in water for 30 minutes
- Fill a large heavy pan with about 5 litres of water
- Add the mint, whole spices and salt and bring it to a boil
- Drain the rice and add it to the boiling water
- Cook till the rice is 90% done
- Instantly drain all the water from the rice using a colander
To Complete the Biryani –
- Return half the rice to the heavy pan.
- Spread the entire meat korma over the rice
- Cover the korma with the balance rice
- Heat the reserved 1/2 cup oil
- Pour it on the rice in circles
- Now, drizzle the lime juice followed by the saffron infused milk
- Cover the underside of the lid with a clean damp cloth and bring the cloth over the top
- Place something heavy on the lid so that the steam does not escape
- Put a tava or griddle on high heat and place the pan of biryani on it
- Leave it for 5 minutes before lowering the heat
- Cook for 20 minutes and serve