Nellai Biryani

Ingredients

• - 2 cups seeraga samba rice
• - 500g mutton or chicken
• - 3 large onions
• - 3 tomatoes
• - 1 cup yogurt
• - 1/4 cup fresh coconut paste
• - 4 tbsp sesame oil
• - 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• - Whole spices — bay leaf, cloves, cardamom, star anise
• - Fresh mint and coriander
• - Salt to taste

Method

1. Marinate mutton or chicken: Cut 750g meat into pieces. Mix with 1 cup yogurt, 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, 2 tsp red chilli powder, half tsp turmeric, 1 tsp garam masala and salt. Marinate overnight.
2. Fry birista: Slice 4 large shallots thinly. Deep fry in oil until very dark golden and crispy. Drain. Reserve frying oil.
3. Parboil seeraga samba rice: Wash 2.5 cups seeraga samba rice. Soak 20 minutes. Boil in salted water with whole spices for 6 minutes. Drain.
4. Make Nellai-style masala: Blend half cup fresh grated coconut, 1 tbsp coriander seeds, 4 dried red chillies, 1 tsp fennel seeds and 5 garlic cloves to a smooth paste.
5. Cook meat masala: In a heavy pot heat reserved oil. Add marinated meat and the coconut masala. Cook on high heat 12-15 minutes.
6. Layer biryani: Spread cooked meat as base. Add half the birista and fresh mint.
7. Add rice layer: Add parboiled rice. Add remaining birista and 4 tbsp ghee.
8. Add saffron milk: Drizzle saffron milk over the rice.
9. Seal and dum cook: Seal pot tightly. Cook on tawa — high heat 5 minutes then lowest heat 40 minutes.
10. Serve: Rest 10 minutes. Open and mix from the bottom. Nellai (Tirunelveli) biryani uses a coconut masala paste that gives it a distinct flavour. Serve with brinjal chutney and onion raita.