Kerala Style Mutton Biriyani Recipe

Ingredients:

For Mutton Kurma:
Mutton - 3/4 kg
Hot Water - 1 cup
Cinnamon - 2 inch piece
Cloves - 1 tsp
Cardamom Pods - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Refined Vegetable Oil - 1/2 cup
Onions - 1/2 kg, sliced
Ghee - 1 cup
Garlic Paste - 2 tblsp
Ginger Paste - 2 tblsp
Coriander Powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
Chilli Powder - 1 tsp
Aniseed - 2 tsp
Tomatoes - 1/4 kg, chopped
Curd - 1 cup
Coriander Leaves - handful
Green Chillies - 4, slit
Cashewnuts - 1/4 cup
Coconut - 1/2 cup, grated
Lime Juice to taste

For the Biriyani:
Salt to taste
Water - 3 litres (12 cups)
Basmati Rice - 1/2 kg, soaked in water for 15 minutes
Ghee - 1/2 cup
Onion - 1/2 cup, finely sliced
Cashewnuts - 1/4 cup
Raisins - 1/4 cup

Method:
1. Cut the mutton into medium size pieces.
2. Trim away the excess fat and wash well.
3. Cook the mutton with 1 cup hot water, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom.
4. Cover with a deep lid containing water on top.
5. Reduce heat and cook at a gentle simmer till the mutton is tender and the stock is reduced to one cup.
6. Remove from heat and keep aside.
7. Heat oil in a pan and fry the sliced onions, stirring frequently.
8. Wait till they turn a golden brown.
9. Remove from heat and keep aside.
10. Heat the ghee in another pan.
11. Fry the garlic and ginger paste one after the other.
12. Grind coriander powder, turmeric powder and chilli powder to a paste.
13. Add this to the fried ginger-garlic paste. Fry well.
14. Add the chopped tomatoes.
15. Fry well until the oil separates.
16. Add curd, coriander leaves, green chillies, fried onion and cooked meat with the spices and the stock.
17. Mix well and cover with a lid.
18. Reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes till the meat pieces are blended well with the gravy.
19. Grind the cashewnuts and the grated coconut into a fine paste.
20. Blend this paste into the curry and mix well.
21. Add lime juice and salt to taste.
22. Remove from fire.
23. Keep the mutton kurma ready.
24. Add salt in 12 cups of boiling water, cook the soaked rice and drain.
25. Heat ghee and fry onions until golden.
26. Remove and in the same pan fry the cashewnuts and raisins separately.
27. Remove and keep aside.
28. Grease a heavy bottomed vessel with ghee and arrange the rice at the bottom.
29. Over it arrange pieces of meat from the kurma.
30. Repeat in layers.
31. Then pour the gravy over and add a final layer of rice.
32. Cover the rice with a damp cloth and place a lid over it.
33. Bake in a warm oven at 325F for half an hour.
34. Garnish with fried onions, cashewnuts and raisins.
35. Serve hot.