Hyderabadi Damm ki Biryani

Ingredients: 6 People

Lamb meat with bone – 1 kg

Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp

Thick Yoghurt – 300 ml

Onions – 4 or 5 , medium sized sliced

Fresh Mint leaves – 1 bunch chopped

Fresh oriander– 1 bunch medium chopped

Green chillies – 4-6 small , finely chopped

Red chilli powder – 2 tsp

Salt – to taste 4-5 spoons for boiling rice.

Garam masala powder -1 tsp

Cardamom powder – 1/8 tsp

Lemon juice – 4 tbsp

Basmati Rice – 1 kg (old biryani rice)

Caraway seeds – 1/2 tbsp

Cardamom – 2

Cloves – 2

Cinnamon stick – 2 to 4 small stick

Saffron threads – 2 big pinch

Warmed milk – 1/ cup

Ghee – 1 tbsp

Cilantro – 1/2 cup, loosely packed and finely chopped

Mint leaves – 1/4 cup, loosely

Green chilies paste- 8-9 chillies small

Oil for frying

Procedure:

In a wok, pour in oil and deep fry the sliced onions until evenly golden brown in color, make sure you do not burn them ,remove the fried onions into a platter and spread them out. In a while, they will crisp up as they cool. Reserve the oil in which the onions were fried and let cool.

Add ginger garlic paste to meat ,1 tsp salt ,Raw papaya Paste , green chilli paste mix well and let it marinate for 1 hr.

In a big mixing bowl, add the marinade ingredients (Thick Yoghurt ,chopped mint 1 tbsp,chopped coriander 2 tbsp,chopped green chillies 5-6,red chilly pwd 2 tsp,salt 1/2 tsp,garam masala pwd -1 1/2 tsp,cardmon pwd -1/2 tsp, lemon juice -2 tbsp,) and mix well. Also add about 3/4 quantity of the fried onions to it, crush them lightly. Add this mixture into the marinating meat and thoroughly mix using a spoon. Cover and let marinate for 2 hrs.

Pour 1/4 cup of the cooled reserved oil in which the onions were fried into the marinating mixture. Mix well

In a small bowl, add the warmed milk and soak the saffron threads in it.

In a large thick walled vessel brush the bottom with solid ghee and spread the marinating meat with all the marinade in a single layer and keep ready.

Wash the rice in 3 changes of water and soak it in surplus fresh cool water for 30 minutes

In a large stockpot, pour in 15 cups of water and add the caraway seeds, cardamom, cloves and salt 5 tsp (do not forget adding salt). Cover and bring it to a boil on high. Once the water is boiling, drain the soaking rice and add it to the boiling water and stir. Cook for just 2-5 minutes and drain the rice immediately

Spread the drained half cooked rice over the marinating meat in the vessel. Reserve 1 cup of rice. Spread evenly the chopped coriander, mint, saffron soaking in milk, remaining fried onions and lemon juice. Now, spread evenly the reserved 1 cup of parboiled rice. Now pour evenly 1/4 cup of the cooled reserved oil in which the onions were fried. Cover the vessel properly with aluminium foil or a tight lid so that no steams can escape. You can also apply dough to seal the lid which is the traditional method.

Cook the assembled biryani in the vessel on stove-top on high heat for 10-12 minutes, until nice steam has built up ,Immediately slow the flame and let it cook for 30-40 mins called damm ,when it is done and wait for 20 mins before mixing the rice with meat, and serve on a large serving platter. For a special touch, garnish with more fried onions, , toasted/fried almonds or boiled eggs.

you can serve Raitha , Mirchi ka salan or Bagare baigan with biryani