Brown Rice Mutton Biryani

          This is a perfect one pot meal for a lazy weekend lunch. I substituted white rice with brown basmati rice to dish out this yummy mutton biryani. It was my first try and it came out perfect. The spices were the basic ones that is generally used but I added potatoes to it, a la Bong style. You may skip it if you wish.

          I followed the layering method, where I cooked the mutton and the rice separately. Then I layered them by adding few toppings over it to be cooked in the dum style. You can relish with  some raita, sliced onion, boiled egg and lime wedges as accompaniments. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this great comfort food.

Marination - 

• 500 gms. mutton with bones
• 1/2 cup yoghurt
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 small onion, ground
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tbsp. mustard oil

Rice - 

• 1 cup brown Basmati rice, soaked for an hour
• 1 tbsp. ghee
• 2 cups water
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2 star anise
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 4-5 cloves
• 2 bay leaves

Other Ingredients -

• 1-2 tbsp. oil
• 2 small potatoes
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 tbsp. ghee
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 1 star anise
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cardamoms 
• 4 cloves
• 1/2 mace

Toppings - 

• pinch of saffron soaked in 2 tbsp. milk
• 2 tsp. lime juice
• 1 tsp. kewra water
• 1 tsp. dry rose petals
• 2 tbsp. chopped mint-coriander leaves
• 1 tbsp. ghee
• 1 tsp. chopped pistachios
• 8-10 cashew nuts
• 8-10 almonds
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder

         Mutton Curry - Marinate the mutton with all the mentioned ingredients for 2-3 hours or preferably overnight.

         Heat oil in a pan and fry the onion till golden brown in colour. Drain and keep aside. In the same oil fry the potatoes too till golden brown. Keep aside.

         Heat 1 tbsp. ghee and temper with bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves, mace and star anise. 

          Add the marinated mutton and cook, covered till the moisture evaporates. Keep stirring at intervals. 

          Add 1 cup water and the fried potatoes. Pressure cook for 15-20 minutes or till tender. When done, simmer till the gravy turns thick. 

         Rice - Heat ghee in a pan and temper with cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, star anise and bay leaf. Add the soaked rice and sauté for 2 minutes. Keep aside. 

          Add water and cook for 20 minutes on a low to medium flame. Then switch off the flame and keep it covered for 15 minutes. The rice will be done by now. Fluff it up and keep it aside.

         In a pressure cooker or any heavy bottomed pan, spread the cooked mutton followed by the cooked rice. 

          Garnish with all the mentioned ingredients and cover tightly with a lid or an aluminium foil.

         Cook for 8-10 minutes on a very low flame. When done, keep it covered for 10 minutes more. Serve with raita for a great comfort meal.

       

                        Marinate mutton with all the ingredients for 2-3 hours or overnight.

                               Heat oil & fry onion till golden brown in colour. Keep aside.

                              In the same oil fry potatoes too till golden brown. Keep aside.

                     Heat 1 tbsp. ghee & temper with bay leaves, cinnamon, cardamoms, cloves,
                     mace and star anise. 

                       Add marinated mutton & cook, covered till the moisture evaporates. 
                  

                           Add 1 cup water & fried potatoes. Pressure cook for 15-20 minutes.

                                  The cooked mutton.

                                  Simmer till the gravy turns thick. 

                         Heat ghee & temper with cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, star anise 
                         and bay leaf. 

                                 Add soaked rice & sauté for 2 minutes. Keep aside. 

                   Add water & cook for 20 minutes on a low to medium flame. Then switch off
                   the flame & keep it covered for 15 minutes.

                                 The rice will be done by now. Fluff it up and keep it aside.

                    In a pressure cooker or any heavy bottomed pan, spread cooked mutton.

                               ...... followed by the cooked rice. 

                    Garnish with all the ingredients & cover tightly with a lid or a foil. Cook 
                    for 8-10 minutes on very low flame. When done, cover for 10 min. more. 

                   Serve with raita for a great comfort meal.