Bangalore Biriyani

Ingredients

• Marinate the meat
• 3 kgs or 6.5 lbs Mutton or Lamb shoulder cut in pieces
• Turmeric
• Red Chilli powder
• Gravy
• 3 cups Oil
• 3 Cinnamon sticks
• 10-12 Cardamoms and cloves
• 8 cups sliced red Onions
• 8 tsps Ginger & Garlic paste
• 6-9 tsps red Chilli powder
• 3-4 tsps Turmeric
• 5 tsps Garam Masala
• 6 cups sliced Tomatoes
• 18 green Chillies slit horizontally
• 1/2 + 1/4 cup chopped Coriander leaves
• 1/4 cup Lemon juice
• 3 - 4 tbsp salt or to taste
• 3 cups stirred Yogurt
• 1 1/2 cup Ghee
• 3 - 4 sliced fried Potatoes (half cooked)
• 1/2 + 1/4 cup chopped Mint
• Fried onions
• Yellow food colouring
• Rice
• 19 cups Basmati rice soaked for 1 hr in water
• Whole spices
• 3 green Chillies
• Marinate the meat for a few hours or overnight

Instructions

1. In a large cooking pot add the oil and when heated add all the whole spices followed by the onions and cook till golden brown
2. Add the ginger and garlic paste, the chilli powder, turmeric and garam masala and mix
3. Add the tomatoes, cover and cook till the tomatoes are mushy for about 10 mins
4. Add the green slit chillies and 1/2 cup coriander and follow that with the meat
5. Add the lemon juice and salt and combine
6. Follow this with the stirred yogurt and ghee
7. Cover and cook for 15 mins before adding the half cooked potatoes
8. Add mint, cover and cook for about 30 mins till the meat is tender
9. In another pot add double the amount of water as the rice and bring to the boil together with salt, some whole spices and 3 green chillies
10. Add the rice and cook till half done
11. Drain and keep aside to drain
12. In another large vessel, add a layer of rice, make a well in the center and add some meat in the well as well as a layer on top of the rice
13. Add another layer of rice with another layer of the meat and gravy
14. Also add more chopped coriander, mint and fried onions in between and on top of the final layer
15. Also add some yellow food coloring at the top
16. Seal the vessel with some foil, you can also use a wet cloth or dough to make the vessel airtight
17. Use a pan or kadai under your vessel so the heat is not directly touching your vessel and cook for about 40 mins. You can also use the oven
18. Mix the grains and meat together with a large fork and serve