

Ingredients–
For the Korma –
- 1 kg mutton on the bone, cut into 2” cubes
- 1 1/4 cups oil
- 5 cloves
- 5 green cardamom pods
- 4 pieces of 1/2” cinnamon sticks
- 3 large onions, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup finely chopped mint leaves
- 1 cup finely chopped coriander leaves
- 4 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- 1 tbsp salt
- 3 tsp 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 green chillies, slit
For the Rice –
- 1 kg basmati rice
- 10 mint leaves
- 6 cloves
- 6 green cardamom pods
- 6 pieces of 1” cinnamon sticks
- 4 tbsp salt
To Complete the Biryani –
- Juice of 2 limes
- 3 pinches of saffron strands, soaked in 1/2 cup milk
Method –
For the Korma –
- 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 release the aroma and splutter
- Add the onions and fry till golden brown
- Toss in the mint and coriander leaves and fry well for 5 minutes
- To this, add the ginger garlic paste and salt and fry for about 5 minutes, sprinkling in water as required
- Add the spice powders and cook for about 5 minutes before adding the meat
- Now, cook for about 10 minutes stirring constantly
- Pour in 1/4 cup of water and pressure cook for 10 minutes after the cooker reaches full pressure
- Open the cooker when cool 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, tilt it and remove 1/2 cup of the aromatic oil which will be used later
For the Rice –
- Wash the rice and soak it in water for 30 minutes
- Fill a large heavy based pan with about 5 litres of water
- Add the mint, whole spices and salt and bring the water to a boil
- Drain the rice and add it to the boiling water
- Cook till the rice is 95% done
- Instantly, drain all the water from the rice using a colander
To Complete the Biryani –
- Return half the rice to the heavy based pan, while retaining the other half in the colander
- Immediately, spread the entire meat Korma over the rice in the pan
- Cover the meat with the rice in the colander
- Heat the reserved oil taken from the korma
- Pour it on to the rice in concentric circles
- Drizzle the lime juice followed by the saffron infused milk
- Cover the underside of the pan with a clean damp cloth over the top
- Cover the pan and place something heavy on it so that the steam does not escape
- Put a griddle on high heat and place the pan of biryani on it
- Leave it on high heat for 5 minutes before lowering the heat
- Turn off the heat after about 20 minutes
- Serve the Biryani hot with raita