Biryani recipe

 This is a recipe that has been passed down to me by my mother. She learnt it from the Hanifas, our family friends:

For 2-3 persons: scale up proportionately

Ingredients:

1 cup basmati rice - india gate classic preferred

2- 3 tbsp ghee

1 tbsp oil

Chicken or mutton - 200 g

1 - onion

1 - tomato

1-3 green chillies

1 small bunch coriander leaves - remove roots but keep the tender stem

1 small bunch mint leaves - pluck leaves alone

2 tsp - ginger garlic paste

3 pieces each- cinnamon, cardamom and cloves 

Procedure:

Wash the rice several times being careful not to break the grains. Wash several times to remove starch. Soak for 30 minutes.

Marinate the meat with some plain yoghurt for atleast an hour 

Grind the cinnamon, cardamom and cloves seperately. Grind the onions with green chillies seperately. Grind tomato with coriander and mint leaves seperately. 

Heat the oil and ghee. Add the onion mixture first. Fry till brown. Then add the spices powder and fry for few minutes. Add the ginger garlic paste and fry till the raw smell is gone.Then add the tomato mixture and fry for about 10 minutes or till the oil seperates. Add the marinated meat and keep the heat on high. Constantly mix together and then turn the heat to low after about 5- 10 minutes. 

Close the cooker and after the whistle lower the heat and cook for 15 minutes. Once the steam has gone, carefully open the cooker. (You can check this by lifting the weight.)

Now it's time to add water. You can measure the amount of gravy (without meat) and add enough water to make 2 cups of liquid. Wait till the mixture boils on high heat and then carefully take the rice and add to the water in the cooker. Lower the heat once the mixture is boiling (this is important).Taste the water and adjust the salt. Add a few drops of lemon juice.

Close the cooker lid and put the timer for 10 minutes.( Remember the heat is on low so there will not be any whistle). Don't open the cooker immediately. Wait for 10 minutes and then open the cooker. Gently lift the biryani from the sides of the cooker with a flat dosa type handle. Be careful not to mix too much. Leave it with the lid open for 10 minutes. 

Ta da! Biryani is ready!