A melting pot of delicate meat, rice, dried fruits and Kashmiri spices - vast for treating different company to a feast.
Ingredients:
For the marinade
2 tbsp ginger and garlic paste
430ml/15fl oz plain yoghurt
½ tsp flooring turmeric
1 tbsp red chilli powder
¼ nutmeg, grated
1 tsp caster sugar
1½ tsp salt
1 lemon, juice only
For the biryani
1kg/2lb 4oz mutton from leg or shoulder, bone removed, cut into 2.5cm/1in cubes
500g/1lb 2oz basmati rice
½ lime, juice only
¼ tbsp salt
150g/5½oz ghee, melted, or vegetable oil
40g/1½oz raisins
60g/2¼oz walnut halves
4 inexperienced cardamom pods
5cm/2in piece of cinnamon stick
3 bay leaves
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 black cardamom pods (optional)
2 tsp flooring coriander
1 tsp garam masala
½ tsp saffron strands, soaked in 120ml/4fl oz warm milk or water
few drops rosewater or kewra water
30g/1oz dried figs and apricots
30g/1oz dried cranberries
20g/¾oz contemporary mint leaves
Method:
Mix the marinade foods collectively in a big bowl, upload the beef and stir to coat. Cover and positioned within the fridge to marinate for 30 minutes, or if likely overnight.
Meanwhile, wash the rice in a number of adjustments of water, then soak it for 20 minutes. Bring 2.5 litres/4½ pints of water to the boil in a big saucepan. Add the rice, lime juice and salt and boil for 6 minutes, till the rice is two-thirds cooked. Drain the rice and unfold it out on a tray to cool.
Heat two-thirds of the ghee or vegetable oil in a wide, heavy-based casserole dish. Add the raisins and fry for 30 seconds, or till they puff up, then take away them and drain on kitchen paper. Add the walnuts and fry for 30 seconds, then take away them and drain on kitchen paper.
Add the cardamom pods, cinnamon and bay to the casserole and fry for 30–60 seconds. Add the cumin and black cardamom pods. Add the beef with its marinade and cook dinner for 10–12 minutes over a excessive heat, stirring occasionally. Add the coriander, garam masala and 250ml/9fl oz of water and cook, covered, over a medium warmth for 1 hour, or till the beef is delicate and a few sauce nonetheless stays within the pan. Add just a bit extra water, if needed.
To assemble, unfold an even layer of the rice over the cooked meat and sauce, sprinkle the saffron milk, rose water, fried raisins and walnuts, cranberries and mint over the rice and the last ghee.
Cover with a tightly becoming lid and cook dinner over a medium–low warmth for 10–15 minutes, till the dish is hot through. Set apart for one other 5 minutes, then open the pot and serve.