Chalka Biryani

Ingredients

• - 2 cups basmati rice
• - 400g tender lamb ribs
• - 3 large onions
• - 2 tomatoes
• - 1/2 cup yogurt
• - 4 tbsp oil
• - 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• - Whole spices
• - Fresh mint and coriander
• - Saffron in warm milk
• - Salt to taste

Method

1. Marinate mutton: Mix 750g mutton with 1 cup yogurt, 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, 2 tsp red chilli powder, half tsp turmeric, 1 tsp garam masala and salt. Marinate overnight.
2. Fry birista: Slice 4 onions thinly. Deep fry until very dark brown. Drain. Reserve oil.
3. Parboil regular rice: Wash 2.5 cups regular long-grain rice (not basmati — chalka biryani uses regular rice). Soak 20 minutes. Boil in salted water with whole spices for 6 minutes. Drain.
4. Cook mutton: In a heavy pot heat reserved birista oil. Add marinated mutton. Cook on high heat 10-12 minutes.
5. Add birista and masala: Add half the birista to the mutton. Mix well.
6. Layer rice: Add parboiled rice on top of mutton.
7. Add remaining birista and ghee: Sprinkle remaining birista and 4 tbsp ghee over the rice.
8. Seal and dum cook: Cover tightly with dough-sealed lid. Cook on tawa — high heat 5 minutes then lowest heat 40 minutes.
9. Rest covered: Rest 10 minutes.
10. Serve: Chalka biryani is made with regular rice instead of basmati, giving it a different texture. Mix from the bottom. Serve with onion raita.