Contributed by: Asma Baig Serving:
4 Preparation time: A few hrs
Ingredients:
Rice: 300 gms
Onion: 3-4
Mutton: 600 gms
Coriander seeds: 1 tb
Peppercorns: 1 tb
Bay leaves: 4-5
Cardamoms: 8
Cumin seeds: 2 tb
Almonds: 10-15
Pistachios: 10-12
Curd or yogurt: ½ cup
Ghee: 8 tb
Salt: To taste
The Steps: Pre - Preparation :
Soak and blanch the almonds.
Preparation :
1) Wash and soak rice in water for 1½ to 2 hrs.
2) Chop the onions finely and clean the mutton
nicely and keep aside.
3) Heat 4 tb ghee in a saucepan.
4) Add finely chopped onions to hot ghee and fry
until brown.
5) Sprinkle a few drops of water and stir until
onions are soft.
6) Keep half the onions aside.
7) Stir the mutton in the saucepan until it is
golden brown.
8) Grind together coriander, 1 black cardamom and
cumin seeds.
9) Add the curd / yogurt, stir for 5 mins, add the
ground spices with
salt and chilly powder and cover the saucepan for a
few mins.
10) As soon as the water dries (add more if
necessary and let it
simmer until the meat is soft and the gravy is
thick).
11) Put 3 tb ghee in another saucepan, add bay
leaves and peppercorns,
rice (the water from the rice should be preserved),
¼ ts cumin seeds,
1 whole black cardamom and 1 level ts salt.
12) Stir for 2-4 mins, then add the remaining brown
onions.
13) Remove saucepan from the fire and put 3/4 of the
rice on a platter.
14) In the saucepan, put first a layer of rice, then
cooked mutton,
sprinkle with chopped onions and pistachios and
repeat this process
until the rice and meat are finished.
15) Pour in the water in which the rice was cooked
evenly so as not to
break the layers, to ¾ inch above the rice level.
16) Cook and remove when the rice is almost done and
there is no water
left.
17) Sprinkle with more almonds and pistachios, cover
with a tight lid
and keep in warm oven till serving time.