Hyderabadi Biryani Recipe

Ingredients

• For Rice:
• 2 cups basmati rice
• 3 ½ cups water
• 1 ½ tsp salt
• 3 tsp ghee or butter
• 3 each of cloves, cardamoms, & cinnamon
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp black cumin seeds
• For Mutton:
• ½ kg mutton
• 3 green chilies
• 3 large onions
• 3 tomatoes
• 3 each of cloves, cardamom & cinnamon
• 4 tsp ghee
• 1 bunch coriander leaves
• ½ bunch mint leaves
• Masala 1:
• 1 large pod garlic
• 1 large piece ginger
• Grind together to a fine paste.
• Masala 2:
• 12 red chilies
• 2 tbsp coriander seeds
• 2 tsp fennel seeds
• 2 tsp khus khus seeds
• Grind together to a smooth paste
• Masala 3:
• ½ cup grated coconut
• 3 tsp chopped cashew nuts
• ½ cup yogurt
• Grind together to a smooth paste
• Hard boiled eggs for decoration

How to make Hyderabadi Biryani

1. For Rice:
2. Soak the rice in water for 20 minutes, drain and keep aside.
3. Heat ghee, add the remaining spices for rice preparation and fry for 1 minute.
4. Add rice and fry for further 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Add water, salt and cook till the water is absorbed.
6. Allow rice to cool.
7. For Mutton:
8. Clean the meat, cut into pieces and soak in the yogurt.
9. Heat ghee, add spices, chopped green chilies and onions and fry till mixture turns brown.
10. Also add masala 1 and 2 and stir well.
11. Now add the tomatoes and fry for 2 minutes.
12. Then add mutton pieces, coriander and mint leaves and simmer for 5 minutes.
13. Add ½ cup of water and salt to taste.
14. Cook for 15 minutes and add masala 3. Cook till the gravy becomes thick.
15. Arranging the Biryani:
16. Divide rice into 3 parts and mutton into 2 parts.
17. Grease a dish and arrange alternate layers of meat and rice and meat, beginning and ending with rice.
18. Dissolve a little saffron or yellow coloring in ¼ cup of milk.
19. Pour over rice, cover and bake for 20 to 30 minutes.
20. Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with fried onions, cashew nuts, raisins and hardboiled eggs.