Mutton Biriyani Easy

Peel, wash and slice onions thinly.

Peel, wash and grate ginger and garlic finely.

Measure all whole spices and keep aside.

Measure all other ingredients & keep aside.

Heat oil and brown onions. Take out & keep aside.

In the same oil, add cloves, cardamoms, cinnamon, black peppers, ginger, bay leaves (all whole spices), garlic, meat pieces, salt, chilli powder and fry cook until meat is brown.

Add yoghurt, tomatoes, coriander and mint leaves, pieces of lime and fried onions, keeping 1/3rd of fried onion aside for later.

Cook, stirring frequently, until meat is nearly done and a little gravy is left.

While meat is cooking, boil the water for rice with a few mint & coriander leaves, saffron & salt.

Add rice and boil briskly with lid off, until 2/3rd done (2 grains felt, when rice is pressed and squashed between two fingers).

Drain the water off.

Grease a large oven proof dish and layer rice and meat, starting and finishing with a rice layer.

Sprinkle some fried onions on top.

Dot with a little ghee and a few drop of jalebi (orange) colour.

If dry colour powder is used, dissolve it in a tsp of water.

Cover with a tight lid.*

Put it in a medium hot oven, 170-180ª C, on the centre shelf, for 20 minutes or so, until the rice is fully done.

It can be cooked directly on the hob, on a low flame, with the lid tightly closed. This will take 20-30 minutes.

Serve hot.

:- It can be prepared up to stage 15 and then kept in the fridge. Cooking time in oven will be increased by 10 minutes. :- Do not be put off by a long list of ingredients, it is an easy dish to cook. Make sure that you have all the ingredients, cutting corners spoils the end result. Lamb can be substituted with chicken or prawns or even mixed collection of vegetables like potatoes, peas, carrots, cauliflower florets.