Lunch For Festival

Lunch For Festival!

• Mutton Biryani
• Onion raita
• Boiled eggs
• Biryani brinjal.

MUTTON BIRYANI RECIPE

(for 1 kg mutton)

Serves 8-10 people

Prepare biriyani masala (store in airtight container) and  ginger garlic paste a day before making biriyani to make work simple.

Biryani powder ingredients : (dry roast and grind)

1. 7 cardamom
2. 8 cloves
3. 2 star anise
4. 2 inch cinnamon stick
5. 1 tsp fennel seeds
6. 2 tsp cumin seeds
7. 2 bay leaves
8. 1/2 tsp pepper

Biryani ingredients :

• Mutton (marinated with turmeric and salt for 2 hrs) – 1kg
• Basmati rice (washed and soaked for 30 min) – 5 cups
• Ghee – 4 tblspn
• Oil – 4 tblspn
• Bay leaves – 4
• Cinnamon stick – small piece
• cardamom- 6
• cloves – 6
• big onions – 5
• tomatoes – 4
• green chillies -4
• ginger garlic paste – 4 + 1 tblspn
• Coriander powder – 2 tsp
• Chilly powder -to taste
• Curd – 4-5 tblspn
• Coriander leaves – 2 handful
• Mint leaves – a handful
• Lemon juice – half of a lemon
• Salt to taste
• Water – 1.5 cups for mutton + 7.5 cups for rice (7.5 cups include water we used for cooking mutton)

Method of Preparation

1. Pressure cook for 8-10 whistles (mutton +1.5 cups water + salt + a tblspn  ginger garlic paste)
2. In a separate cooker saute in low flame till u get nice aroma.
   (ghee + oil + bay leaves + cardamom + cloves + cinnamon )
3. Saute till soft in medium flame (onions + salt)
4. Add remaining ginger garlic paste and saute in low flame.
5. Once done add (coriander pwdr + chilly pwdr+ biriyani pwdr)
6. When raw smell goes off add (coriander + mint leaves + tomatoes) mix well and close the lid till tomatoes turn soft. In-between open lid and mix it well. Do not open often since biryani’s aroma gets spoiled.
7. Add curd and mutton, mix well. Let it cook for 4-5 mins.
8. Add rice mix well.
9. Add water. Total amount of water should be 7.5 cups (mutton soup + ordinary water). 1.5 cups water for a cup of rice.
10. Add lemon juice.
11. Check for salt. Water should be little salty.
12. Close the lid without whistle in medium to high flame for about 5 mins.
13. Once 75% water is absorbed, level it and close the lid , add cooker weight and bring to very low flame (We r not going to wait for whistle).
14. After 15 mins , switch off the flame. Do not open and wait for 15 more mins.
15. Open and mix well then serve.

BIRYANI BRINJAL GRAVY

Masala paste ingredients : (dry roast and grind adding water)

• Peanuts – 1.5 tblspn
• Fennel seeds – 1.5 tsp
• Cumin seeds – 1.5 tsp
• Sesame seeds – 3/4 tsp
• Fenugreek seeds – 1/4 tsp

Other Ingredients :

• Mustard seeds – 1/2 tsp
• Urad dal – 1 tsp
• Onion large -3 sliced very thin
• Ginger garlic paste – 2tsp
• Tomato -2 pureed
• Brinjal – 7 small sliced thin
• Oil – 4 tblspn
• Coriander powder – 1.5 tsp
• Chilly powder – as needed
• Salt – as needed
• Curry leaves – 10
• Tamarind extract – 2 small gooseberry sized soaked in a cup of water
• Lemon juice – if reqd to adjust taste

Note :

• Tastes good if we use gingelly oil. Though I used cooking oil it tasted same.
• Brinjals should cook and mash well, so slice it very thin as possible.
• Lemon juice is not mandatory. If u want it to be sour then use it to adjust taste.

Method of Preparation:

1. In a pan heat oil, add brinjals and cook til they are soft. Once done, remove and keep aside.
2. In same pan, add (oil + mustard seeds + urad dal)
3. Add and saute till raw smell goes (onions +salt + ginger garlic paste + chilly powder + coriander powder + masala paste )
4. Add curry leaves, tomato puree and cooked brinjals. Cook till tomato is done.
5. Add tamarind water and wait till u get it in paste form. Mix in between.
6. Finally add salt and some lemon juice if required.

Chef: Monica John