#Briyani with Mutton / Lamb ( Rice dish cooked with Meat and spices )

Briyani is the most popular dish all over the world, I guess. This is one of my most favourite food. Briyani is a rice variety cooked with meat and spices which blends together and gives wonderful flavour and taste. I do not say it is originated in India but it is one of the must try menu in the list. This one dish is cooked in many different ways in different regions of India. Here I show you my own way which I cook all the time and it never failed me. I do this recipe without spicy because my family do not prefer it. If you prefer to add spicy to the dish then you can do so. Hope this recipe will work the same magic to you as well. If you are trying this for the first time I would recommend you to start with Chicken meat which is easier to cook. Then you will slowly get to know how to do with the other meat. I have added some pictures which was taken during this recipe cooking process, so that you will get some idea how to proceed the recipe.  Hope it will be helpful for you. Lets go.......

Serves :- 2-3 people
Preparation time :- 20 mins
Cooking time :- 30 mins - 1 hour 
Measurements :- in grams and in spoons

*tbsp - Tablespoon
*tsp   - Teaspoon

Ingredients

1. Lamb / Mutton meat  - 250 to 300 grams 
2. Basmathi rice             - 200 grams
3. Onion                         - 3 medium sized
4. Tomato                       - 1 medium sized
5. Mint leaves                 - 1 cup
6. Ginger paste               - ¾ th  tbsp
7. Garlic paste                - ¾ th  tbsp
8. Coriander powder      - ½ tbsp
9. Yogurt(3.5% fat)        - 1 and ½ tbsp
10. Oil                              - 2 tbsp
11. Ghee                           - 2 tbsp
12. Cardamom                  - 4 pieces
13. Cloves                         - 4 pieces
14. Bay leaves                  -  2 pieces
15. Cinnamon sticks         -  1 inch piece
16. Fennel seeds               - 1 tsp
17. Cumin seeds               - ½ tsp
18. Salt                             -  according to your taste.
19. Water                          - 350 ml / 1 and ½ cup 

Important Note

1. Marinating meat is very important for tenderising the meat, which helps to cook faster and get the better taste. 
2. Please do not reduce the measurement or the items which I specified above to get the exact taste of it. 
3. If you like to add spicy to the dish you can add green chillies only. Not any other masala powders. 
4. Do wash the rice three times before soaking in order to avoid the stickiness and to avoid becoming mushy.
5. To make ginger and garlic paste you can use mortar- pestle.

Method

1. In a bowl add the meat, yogurt, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, 2 cloves, 2 cardamom, cinnamon, 2 tsp salt, 1/2 tbsp ginger paste, 1/2 tbsp garlic paste, 2-3 mint leaves chopped, coriander powder and oil.
   
2. Mix everything very well and allow it to marinate at least for 2 hours. If you want, you can do this marination previous day night and put it in refrigerator. Overnight marination is much more better. 
3. In a pressure cooker add this marinated meat with 1/2 cup of water. Cook it in medium to high heat for 7-8 whistles or until the meat is cooked. (If you do not have a pressure cooked do not worry. Add the marinated meat in a pot, add 2 cups of water, close it tight and cook it in medium flame for about 45 minutes to 1 hour or until the meat is cooked. Mix it in between to avoid burning at the bottom. The water will be reduced almost to 1/2 cup quantity during cooking).
4. Before starting the cooking wash the rice 3 times and soak it in water with measurement specified above. Soak it for 20 minutes.

   

   General ratio is 1 cup rice : 1.5 cups of water

5. Slice the Onion. Finely chop the tomato and mint leaves. Keep the 1 tbsp of ginger and 1 tbsp of garlic paste ready. 
6. Take another cooking pot on the stove and keep the heat in medium. Add ghee and allow it to heat up. It takes 1 minute. Then add 2 cloves, 2 cardamom, 2 bay leaves. 
   
7. Then add the onions. Saute well until they turn dark golden brown colour. Please be patient until you get this colour because this is the very important step in making Briyani. Check the colour in the picture below.
   
8. Then add the ginger and garlic paste. Saute it for exactly 1 minute. Then add the tomato and mint leaves. Saute them well until everything cooked and combined. (If you want to add green chillies add in this stage).
   
9. Next add the cooked meat mixture into this pot and the soaked rice into this pot.(Remember that your cooked meat mixture should not contain more water. It should be dried out almost to 1/2 cup or less than that). Add salt at this stage and check the taste. If you want you can adjust by adding more.

   

   Look there is not much water in this. The rice bits should slightly peep out. That is the maximum level of water not more than that. 

10. Once the water starts boiling bring the heat to completely low level. Cover the pot first with aluminium foil and the close the lid on top of it. This method helps to prevent the flavours inside the pot itself. Now cook it in low flame for 10 minutes. 
    
11. Once you open the lid after 10 minutes it looks like this. Very slowly and gently mix the rice, because it will break when you do it hard. All done....Serve it with Raita (Side dish for Briyani)
    

Simple Raita

1. In a bowl add 1 cup yogurt(3.5% fat), 1/2 tbsp sugar and 1 tsp salt.
2. Then add finely chopped 1 onion, 1 cucumber and few coriander leaves.
3. Mix well and serve it. 

Tips

1. You can cook the recipe with chicken or beef or mushrooms or mixed vegetables. The measurements are same. 
2. Salt and spicy can be adjusted according to your taste. 

Your Meal is ready to serve.......You made it...........👐👐

For any doubts and questions post it in the comment section below.