Hyderabadi Mutton Biryani

Ingredients
500 gms Basmati rice
1 kg mutton, cut into small pieces
2 tsp garam masala
6 red chillies
A handful of cashew nuts
5 big onions, sliced finely and fried till crispy
 2 cloves
2 pieces cinnamon stick
3/4 tsp shah jeera
12 pepper corns
3 elaichi/cardamom
6 green chillies
3 bay leaves
1 small bunch coriander, chopped finely
1 small bunch mint, chopped finely
3 tsp Ginger and Garlic paste
1 cup curd/ yogurt
Lemon Juice 3 tsp
2 pinches saffron, dissolved in ¾ cup milk
5 tbsp ghee or refined oil
4 boiled eggs for garnishing
Salt to taste
Method

• Grind the following to a paste: red chillies and cashew nuts. To the mutton apply the ginger and garlic paste and beaten curd. Keep aside.
• Heat 4 tablespoons ghee and fry the red chilli, masala. Add the marinated mutton, 1/4 of the fried onion, one teaspoon garam masala and salt to taste.
• Keep frying till ghee separates. Add 1 ½ cups warm water. Pressure cook till tender. Heat pan, add 1 tablespoon ghee and fry the masala.
• Add the rice and fry a little. Add the green chillies and salt to taste. Add enough warm water. Cook till rice is done, remove and spread on a thlali, discarding the whole masala.
• Mix together the chopped coriander, mint, garam masala and fried onion. Set aside.

To Assemble: 

• Take a heavy bottomed wide deep vessel and line it with ghee.
• Spread a layer of rice and cover it with half of the mutton. Sprinkle half of the coriander and mint mixture and juice of 1 lime.
• Cover with rice, followed by a mutton layer. Finish with a rice layer.
• Sprinkle the rice with saffron milk and dot with ghee.
• Cover tightly and place over a griddle for dum about 2O minutes. Serve hot, garnish with eggs cut into halves.