Recipe by Marina Lasrado
Ingredients:
For the mutton
1 1/4 kg lamb/mutton
salt to taste
vinegar to taste
4 onions (sliced)
4 tomatoes (finely chopped)
4 sprigs mint leaves (roughly chopped)
1 bunch coriander leaves (roughly chopped)
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup ghee
To grind:
10 red chilies
3" ginger
1 1/2 tbsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp fennel seeds
5 cardamom pods
8 cloves
2" cinnamon stick
2 star anise
3 tbsp coconut milk powder
8 cashew nuts
10 cloves garlic
For the rice:
1 kg/4 cups basmati rice (washed and soaked in lukewarm water for 15 minutes)
2-3 bay leaves
3 tbsp oil
3 tbsp ghee
Steps:
- Cook the meat with salt, vinegar and water till soft.
- Grind the ingredients to a fine paste and keep aside.
- In a large pan, heat 1/4 cup oil and 1/4 cup ghee.
- Add the sliced onions and fry until crisp. Keep 1/2 the onions aside for garnishing.
- To the same pan, add chopped tomatoes and cook until soft and the oil separates from the side.
- Add the ground masala paste. Fry till the raw smell goes.
- Add the chopped mint leaves, cilantro and cooked meat. Mix together and cook for 5 minutes to blend in the spices.
- In a vessel, heat 3 tbsp oil and 3 tbsp ghee.
- Add the soaked basmati rice (drain water) and stir it once over so that the rice is well coated with oil.
- Add boiling hot water (1:2 proportion or 4 cups rice = 8 cups water) and bring to a boil on high flame. Then, reduce the flame and cook covered for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, open the lid and check if the rice is done. If needed, sprinkle a little hot water.
For layering: - In a wide bottomed pan, layer it cooked rice, lamb, fried onions and food color/saffron strands soaked in milk (optional)
- Cover and place the pan on low heat for 5-10 minutes.
- ENJOY!
Notes:
- Cooking time of rice depends on the quality of rice.