Naawabi Mutton Biryani gets its name because of the liberal use of the dry fruits like apricots, raisins, almonds, cashew nuts and sunflower seeds.
Ingredients:
750 grams Basmati rice
1 kg Mutton
5-6 medium Onions
1 tblsp Ginger-garlic paste
2 tblsp Garam masala
6 nos. Red chillies
1 cup Curds
2 nos. Cinnamon
6 nos. Cardamom powder
1 tblsp Shahjeera
10 nos. Black peppercorns
1 tblsp Turmeric powder
2 pinches Saffron
1/2 cup Milk
10 nos. Apricot
1 tblsp Almonds
1 tblsp Cashew nuts
1 tblsp Sunflower seeds
1 tblsp Raisins
How to make biryani mutton nawabi:
- Heat 5 tbsp ghee and fry the almonds, cashewnuts, chironji, raisins, apricots (halved) till light brown in colour. Keep aside.
- In the same oil fry the onions till crisp.
- Grind the fried onions and chillies to a fine paste.
- Marinate the meat in beaten curds, ginger-garlic paste, onion-chilli paste, turmeric powder and salt for 1 1/2 hours.
- Heat 2 1/2 tblsp ghee and saute the marinated meat till it is dry and oil leaves the sides of the pan.
- In a separate pan heat 2 tblsp ghee and fry the cinnamon, cardamom, shahjeera and black pepper till the seeds start spluttering.
- Add the drained rice and saute for 4-5 minutes.
- Add warm water. The level of water should be 1 1/2 inches above the rice level.
- Add salt as per taste. Cook till rice is done.
- Spread on a plate and remove the cinnamon, cardamoms and cloves.
- To Assemble
- Take a heavy bottomed pan and line it with ghee.
- Add the prepared mutton and sprinkle garam masala over it.
- Cover with cooked rice and dot with ghee.
- Make deep holes in the rice and add the saffron (soaked in 1/2 milk) and sprinkle fried nuts and onions.
- Cover the pan and seal the edges with dough.
- Heat a tawa and place the pan on top and cook on a very low flame for 20-25 minutes.
- Mix and serve hot garnished with chopped mint leaves.