Thalaserry Mutton biriyani

This biriyani is  bit time consuming but if you plan early and do some preps beforehand it can be done in no time..for example you can fry the onions a day before, marinate the mutton etc to make your job easier next day.

What makes this biriyani different is that, it doesn't use red chilli powder, coriander powder etc.The heat comes from green chillies and flavours comes from the green paste, freshly ground biriyani masala and bista/ fried onions.

Usually we make this with Jeerakashala /Kaima rice which I bring from home every year but I have ran out of it and had to use basmathi rice instead.

I have only used very little ghee in this but use as per your taste, also I didn't use saffron water to flavour the rice because none of us in our house like saffron taste in biriyani. Go ahead and use it if you want.


 For Mutton masala

Mutton /lamb– 500 gm ( I used lamb shoulder )

Onion – 4 ( sliced lengthwise)

Tomato – 1
Oil/ghee

For  Marinade 
Green paste

Green chillies – 10 ( or as per your spice level)

Ginger – Thumb size piece

Garlic – 4-5 cloves 
Coriander leaves (handful)
Mint leaves (handful)

Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Yogurt – 5 tbs

Lime juice – 1 tbs

Salt

For biriyani  masala powder ( to roast and powder)

Cinnamon stick – 1 inch thick stick

Cloves – 3

Cardamom pods – 3

Bay leaf – 1

Star anise – 1

Peppercorns- 1 tsp
Fennel seeds - 1 tsp
shahi jeera - 1/4 tsp

For Bista and garnish 
Onions - 2-3 medium thinly sliced and fried (reserve a handful for garnishing the rice)

For rice

Biriyani rice/ Jeerakasala rice/ Basmathi rice – 2 cups ( I usually use Jeerakasala rice for all my biriyani's which I bring from Kerala )

Onion – 1 ( thinly sliced)

Water drained from cooked mutton – 2 1/2 cups

Boling water – 1 1/4 cup

Lime juice – 1 tbs

Cinnamon stick – 1

Cardamom – 4 pods

Cloves – 4

Ghee – 1 tbs

Oil – 1 tbs

Salt

For garnishing

Fried onions- Handful ( from the reserve)

Cashewnut halves – 2 tbs

Golden raisins – 2 tbs

Ghee – 1 tbs

Coriander leaves

Method

Make a paste of green chillies, ginger , garlic , coriander and mint in a mixie and keep it aside.

Marinate the mutton with above paste along with  turmeric powder, salt, yogurt  and keep it as long as you can(preferably overnight ) or at least for ½ an hour.
Fry the onions for Bista and garnish until golden brown , drain and keep it aside. Reserve a handful aside for garnishing the rice.

In a thick bottomed pressure cooker/ saucepan/ wok add ghee + oil( use the same oil used for frying onions) and sauté the sliced onions until it’s nicely browned.

Add in chopped tomatoes and cook until it’s mushy.

Add the marinated mutton, biriyani masala and fried onions/bista and cook for 3-4 minutes.
Add 1/2 cup of water and transfer it into a pressure cooker(If u used a different vessel ) and cook  for 4 whistles.

Once the pressure is released drain the 2 1/2 cups of water from mutton and keep it aside.
If there is excess water in the masala, heat it again for 2-3 of minutes to thicken the masala.

Cooking Rice

Soak the rice for ½ an hour, drain completely  and keep it aside to dry.

In a big pan add oil+ ghee and add the whole garam masala and sauté for a minute.

Add in the sliced onions and sauté until soft.

Add the dried rice, salt, lime juice and fry the rice for a minute or so.

Add the mutton stock, remaining water and bring it boil.

Cover and cook the rice until done. Takes about 5-7 minutes.
Leave it undisturbed for sometime and then gently fluff up the rice with a fork.

Garnish
In a small pan add ghee and fry the cashewnuts until brown and fry sultanas until they plump .

Layering

In an oven proof dish spread mutton masala  on the bottom, spread rice on top, sprinkle some roasted cashewnuts, raisins, fried onions and some chopped coriander leaves ; continue layering the same way until all the rice and masala is used up.
Cover the dish tightly with a lid or seal it with maida and dum cook it in a preheated oven of 180 degree C for 15 minutes.
Open the dum and enjoy !