Ingredients:

Lamb 1 kg

For the Rice:
Rice, Basmati 2½ cups / 500 gm
Green cardamoms (choti elaichi) 6
Cloves (laung) 10
Cinnamon (dalchini), 1” sticks 2
Cumin (jeera) seeds 1 tsp / 2 gm
Nutmeg (jaiphal) ½
Mace (javitri) 3-4 blades
Water 10 cups / 2 lt
Bay leaves (tej patta) 5
Saffron (kesar), mixed with 1 tbsp
water or milk a few strands
Garlic (lasan) 50 gm
Ginger (adrak), 1” piece 1
Ghee 1¼ cups / 250 gm
Onions, sliced 2 tbsp / 25 gm
Cloves (laung), powdered 1 tsp / 2 gm
Mace (javitri) 3 gm
Cinnamon (dalchini) sticks, powdered 1 tsp / 2 gm
Green cardamoms (choti elaichi), powdered 5
Salt to taste
Yogurt (dahi) ¾ cup / 135 gm
Yellow chili powder 2 tsp / 5 gm
Saffron (kesar) a few strands
Mint (pudina) leaves 1 sprig
Vetiver (kewda) essence 1 tsp / 5 ml
Onions, medium, sliced, browned 2
Black cumin (shah jeera) seeds 1 tsp / 2 gm
Lemon (nimbu) juice 1
Cream 1¼ cups / 250 ml

Method:

1. For the rice, tie all the spices except bay leaves, in a muslin cloth. Immerse in water and bring to the boil. Add the rice and bay leaves. Cook till the rice is half done; drain out the water and spread the rice on a tray. color half the rice with the saffron mixture. Mix the white and the saffron-colored rice together. Keep aside. Grind the ginger and garlic and squeeze the extract. Heat the ghee in a pan; brown the onions and keep aside to cool.
2. Then grind and mix with the lamb. Add the ginger-garlic extract. Mix in the powdered cloves, mace, cinnamon, green cardamom, and salt. Cook the lamb in a wok (kadhai) till brown. Add the yogurt and yellow chili powder. Mix well. Once the gravy thickens, add a little water. When the lamb is tender, remove the lamb pieces, and strain the gravy. Grind the saffron and blend into the cooked lamb. Mix the strained gravy with the lamb.
3. Line the bottom of the pan with ghee, add one layer of rice, then a layer of lamb curry. Repeat till all the rice and curry are used up. The last layer should be of rice. Sprinkle the mint leaves, vetiver essence, fried onions and black cumin seeds on top of the rice.
4. Add the lemon juice and cream, close the lid tightly and seal with dough. Keep the pan on a slow charcoal fire with a few live charcoals on the lid for about 45 minutes.
5. This is the traditional way of making biryani.

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