Beef Biryani - Rosy aunty

Recipe by Rosy Pinto




Ingredients:

For the gravy:
1.5 kg boneless beef (cut into pieces, clean and drain all the water)
3 medium onions (thinly sliced)
7 medium tomatoes (cubed)
2 tbsp crushed ginger or paste
2 tbsp crushed garlic or paste
5 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves
1/2 cup chopped mint leaves 
1 cup (250ml) oil             
1 1/2 cup whisked yogurt 
salt to taste
2-3 cups water

Spices for the gravy:
12 cloves
4" pieces of cinnamon  
7 green cardamom
3 black cardamom
3 whole star anise
1.5 tsp black peppercorns 
1/2 tsp nutmeg powder
1/2 tsp mace powder             
1.5 tbsp coriander powder
1.5 tsp cumin powder (optional)
1.5 tbsp red chilli powder
3 tbsp kashmiri chilli powder 
1 tsp turmeric powder 

For the rice: 

1 kg basmati rice
2" pieces of cinnamon 
6 cloves 
4 green cardamom 
2 whole star anise
1.5 tsp shahjeera / caraway seeds
3/4 tsp pepper corns
3 bay leaves
2 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp oil 
water as required 
salt to taste 

For Layering:
3 medium onions (thinly sliced and fried) 
30 fried cashew nuts
4 tbsp fried raisins
1/3 tsp food color (diluted with 2 tbsp of water/ rose water)
4 tsp ghee
4-6 whole green chillies 
1/2 cup chopped mint
1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves

Steps:

For the gravy: 
  1. Heat oil in a pan.
  2. Add cashew nuts and fry until light golden. Remove and set it aside.
  3. Add raisins and take it out as soon as they start to puff up.
  4.  Add 6 sliced onions and fry till golden brown and crisp.
  5. Take out half of the fried onions, drain excess oil and spread it on a kitchen towel for later use as beresta.
  6. Add meat, mix well and fry till it changes color.
  7. Add crushed ginger and garlic and mix well, cover and cook on low flame for 5 minutes.
  8. Add all the whole spices, mix and stirring constantly cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
  9. Add cubed tomatoes, mix well and cook until it softens.
  10. Add salt and water, mix and cook covered on medium low flame for 45 minutes to 1 hour till  the meat is tender.
  11. Add all the spice powders and lemon juice and cook on medium high flame.
  12. Add whisked yoghurt and cook until gravy becomes thick and oil separates. 
  13. Add chopped mint and coriander leaves, mix well and switch off the flame. 
To prepare rice:
  1. Heat sufficient water in a vessel. Once the water boils, add all the spices and oil.
  2. Add washed and drained rice and cook till 80 % done.
  3. Add salt and lemon juice, mix well and switch off the flame.
  4. Strain the rice and spread it on separate big thalis to cool down under the fan.
To layer the biryani:
  1. Take a nonstick vessel and grease the base with little ghee, put one layer of meat with masala followed by a layer of rice, fried onions, nuts and raisins, chopped mint and coriander leaves and whole green chillies.
  2. Sprinkle ghee and food color, repeat the layers.
  3. Cover the vessel with aluminum foil and place the lid on top of it.
  4. Heat tawa or griddle and then place the vessel over it, switch flame to low and cook on low flame for 15 to 20 minutes. 
  5. ENJOY!
Notes:
  • You can use beef with bones if desired.
  • Instead of water, kewra or rose water can be used to dissolve food color.