Kerala Mutton Biryani

Ingredients

• - 2 cups khyma or basmati rice
• - 400g mutton
• - 3 large onions
• - 2 tomatoes
• - 1/2 cup yogurt
• - 4 tbsp ghee
• - Whole spices
• - Fresh mint and coriander
• - Salt to taste

Method

1. Marinate mutton: Mix 750g mutton with 1 cup yogurt, 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, 2 tsp red chilli powder, half tsp turmeric, 1 tsp biryani masala and salt. Marinate overnight.
2. Fry birista: Slice 4 large shallots thinly. Deep fry until very dark golden. Drain. Reserve oil.
3. Parboil Jeerakasala rice: Wash 2.5 cups Jeerakasala rice. Soak 20 minutes. Boil in salted water with whole spices 5-6 minutes. Drain.
4. Cook mutton masala: In a heavy pot heat reserved birista oil. Add marinated mutton and cook on high heat 12-15 minutes until mutton is nearly done.
5. Add birista and herbs: Add half the birista to the mutton. Add fresh mint and coriander.
6. Layer rice: Spread parboiled rice over the mutton.
7. Add garnishes: Add remaining birista, 4 tbsp ghee, fresh herbs and saffron milk.
8. Seal and dum cook: Seal pot tightly with dough. Cook on tawa — high heat 5 minutes then lowest heat 40 minutes.
9. Rest: Rest 10 minutes.
10. Serve: Open carefully. Mix from the bottom. Kerala mutton biryani has fragrant Jeerakasala rice. Serve with raita.