Kolkata Mutton Biryani

Biryani is normally made with chicken, mutton(Goat/Lamb),seafood or any veggies.Coming to today's recipe it is a combination of vegetarian and non vegetarian food. Here's Presenting today's biryani  popularly known as " KOLKATTA ROYAL BIRYANI" with a Bengali Touch. Kolkotta biryani is incomplete without aloo and/or egg in it.I learnt this from my husband who is fond and familiar with Bengali food.I added raw onions on top just to satisfy my taste buds.Usually in kolkatta biryani you won't have any onions as topping.

On a regular basis we always cook mutton curry with aloo (Bengali and Orissa Cuisine). It always tastes yummy and this made attempt aloo mutton Biryani since Potato in the mutton curry adds a unique taste to the curry. Even in Veggie Biryani Potato has awesome taste so posting this recipe in BM#73 UNDER THE THEME "FLAVORS OF INDIA"

Ingredients:

• Potatoes 4 medium
• Mutton (Goat Preferably/Lamb) 3 lbs
• Onions2
• Green chilli5
• Ginger garlic paste 2tbspn
• Spice powder 1 tbspns
• Chilli powder 2 tbspns
• Turmeric powder 1/4 tspn
• Coriander powder 1 tspn
• Ghee4 tbspns
• Curd2cups
• Mint leaves 1/2 cup
• Coriander leaves 1/2 cup
• Saffron strands few
• Milk 3 tbspsn or 1/2 cup
• Rose water 1 tspn
• Store bought biryani masala (Preferably Shan) 1 tspn
• Salt to taste

SPICE POWDER or BIRYANI MASLA

• Cinnamon sticks 3(finger length)
• Cloves 4
• Cardamom 4
• Black pepper 3
• Biryani leaf 1
• Biryani flower 1
• Mace or javitri1    

Blend all ingredients into fine powder.Keep aside.
                         
Procedure:

• Marinate Mutton with chilli powder, turmeric powder, curd, lemon juice,Spice powder for 1 hr in refrigerator.( I have not added salt during marination as it takes little slower to cook mutton, suggest add salt later while it depends on the quality of mutton since if it's not tender it takes longer time to cook if you add salt.
• Take a wide pan add 1 tbspn oil, when it is hot add potatoes ( chopped little bigger in size as shown in pic) fry until light brown on both sides and keep aside.
• In the same pan add 3 tbspn of ghee, when hot add chopped onions and green chilli. When onions turn brown add ginger garlic paste fry well, add turmeric coriander powder and then marinated mutton followed by  few coriander leaves, mint leaves and little bit of fried onions.
• Cook mutton with lid on until it is 90% done.It takes around 45 mins to 1hr, depends upon the quality of mutton.( optionally If the mutton is not tender transfer the curry after removing potatoes this time to a pressure cooker add very little water and cook until 2/3 whistles depending on the way you like it. Check if its cooked and add salt as per your taste.)
• Add potatoes when the mutton is almost done on stove top( in that way potatoes will not be mushy)After adding potatoes to the mutton keep it at-least 10 mins or until potatoes almost cooked.
• While mutton is cooking cook rice ( With spices, cinnamon 2, cardamom 2, bayleaves sahjeera 1 tspn)in a wide bowl at the same time. Cook rice until it is 80% done.
• If layering biryani on stove top, heat a deep wide non stick container with tight lid on ,add mutton in the bottom layer  followed by rice, biryani masala, saffron milk, mint and coriander leaves followed by fried onions.Cook on medium for 10 mins and low on 30 mins.
• If cooking in the oven,Preheat oven to 400F.
• Slowly arrange half of the mutton curry on a oven tray and layer the rice on top followed by coriander and mint leaves, fried onions ,rose water and milk 1/2cup soaked in saffron.Now repeat the process for another layer of mutton.Seal the tray with aluminum foil and bake around 20 to 25 mins.
• After 10 mins when cools down little bit, slowly mix the biryani and enjoy with salad of your choice.
• Note: FEW CHANGES IN THE BIRYANI OR MASALA IS ENTIRELY TO SATISFY OUR TASTE BUDS.

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