Thalapakatti Mutton Biryani

Ingredients

• Measurements used – 1 cup rice = 250 ml
• For the Masala
• 5 Green Chillies
• 3 small two inch cinnamon sticks
• 3 cardamom
• 3 cloves
• 1/8th th of a nutmeg (Jaadhika(Do not use too much))
• 1 small piece Mace (Jaadhi Pathiri (refer notes))
• 2 inch piece grams ginger
• 10-15 crushed Garlic (refer notes)
• 15 shallots (small onions)
• Main Ingredients
• 500 ml Seeraga Samba Rice (refer notes)
• 500 grams Mutton with bone
• Other Ingredients
• 2 tablespoon Ghee
• 3 tablespoon Sunflower Oil
• 1/2 teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
• 1/2 cup curd
• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 hand full Mint Leaves
• 2 hand full Coriander Leaves
• Juice of half a lime

Instructions

1. 1

   Before starting to cook, wash and soak the rice for at-least half an hour. Drain the rice and keep aside.

2. 2

   Grind all the ingredients listed under masala paste with half a cup of water(refer notes). Set aside.

3. 3

   Heat oil and ghee in a pressure cooker and add in the Thalappakatti Biriyani Masala paste. Add in the mutton to the pan.

4. 4

   Add in two cups of water and add in the salt. Add in the plain yogurt and red chilli powder. Check out Chicken Biryani

5. 5

   Mix well and cook the mutton in the masala for 20 minutes on a medium flame. Remove the cooker from heat and wait for the pressure to settle.

6. 6

   Remove the cooked meat to a bowl and roughly measure how much liquid is left behind. Check out Malabar Mutton Biryani

7. 7

   Mine had about 1.5 cups of liquid (refer notes). Just measure roughly. It need not be accurate.

8. 8

   We require 2 times water to the quantity of rice. So we need to add 4 cups water. There was already 1.5 cups gravy that we measured before. So I added 2.5 cups water to the mixture (refer notes). Add in the chopped coriander leaves and the mint leaves. Let the mixture come to a boil.

9. 9

   Add back the meat and let it come to a boil again. Check for seasoning. Add more salt if necessary. (I added 1/2 tsp salt at this stage)

10. 10

    Add the soaked and drained rice to the pan. Wait for it to boil. Add in the lime juice.

11. 11

    Cover the pan with a lid and let it cook for the first four minutes on medium flame.

12. 12

    Open the lid. Gently mix once from the bottom, cover the lid again and simmer for 10 minutes on very low flame. After that time, open the lid and mix well. The rice will be three fourth cooked. Cook for a couple of minutes more.Switch off the flame and close the pan with a lid. Do not disturb for the next 20 minutes. The rice will get swollen and absorb all the left out moisture. This time is very important. Do not rush.

13. 13

    After the rest, Enjoy Thalappakatti Biriyani!