Mutton Kachchi Biriyani by Tahiti Ahmed

Traditionally Kachchi Biriyani was cooked in a clay oven. With the passage of time it has become difficult for us foodies, to achieve that feat and we have tried to make do and gain the taste with whatever little we could manage. The succulent pieces of mutton, the alubokhra, the aroma remains the same. This recipe was kindly given to me by Tahiti Ahmed, an employee of San Jose (California, USA) School District. Tahiti (who has been my neighbour), to me, is an example of super woman in everyday life — in more ways than one; and I can vouch for her cooking and recipes any day.

 

Ingredients –

Mutton- 2 kg.( Big pcs.)
Polaur chal: 1kg. (Rice)
Plain yogurt: 1 & 1/2 cup.
Oil: 1 cup
Ghee: 1 cup.
Joitree/ mace: 1 tsp.
Jaifol/ Nutmeg: 1tsp.
Elachi, Cinnemon & cloves paste: 1 tbsp.
White gol morich/ white pepper powder: 1 tbsp.
Shah jira/ caraway seeds: 1 tbsp.
Ginger: 2, 3 pcs – pounded
Garlic: 7-8  – pounded
onion ( Beresta/ fried): 2 cups.
Alu bokhara: 8-10
Lal chili powder: 1 tsp.
potato: 1 kg.
Powder milk: 1 tbsp.
Kewra water: 2 tbsp.
Tomato ketchup: 2/1 cup (half cup)
salt & food color: as per taste
Ata / wheat flour- 2/1 kg.
Mawa: 3-4 tbsp. ( you can add 4 tbsp powder milk with 1 tbsp kewra water, 1 tsp powdered sugar to make mawa)

 

Preparations –

  • Keep the mutton pieces marinated in salt water for an hour
  • Then marinate the mutton in a mixture of curd, red chili powder, little amount of food color, white pepper powder,kewra water, jaitri & Jayfol and garam masala paste.
  • Make a juice of 2/1 cup smashed ginger & garlic with a cup of water. see that no solids remain.
  • Add this to the marinated mutton
  • Fry chopped onion and potatoes till brown
  • Keep aside the potato pieces with a little beresta and sugar added to it
  • Par boil the rice in 3 kg of boiled water with 1 tsp of shah jira
  • Stain the rice
  • Now spread the marinated mutton in one layer in a handi, beresta/ fried onions and the potatoes
  • Add the rest of the beresta with a tbsp of sugar from top
  • Layer the mawa and the rice
  • Add 1 tsp of shah jira, 1 cup of ghee and 2 tbsp of Kewra water
  • Make a whole in this and add the jorda colour and the alu bokhara
  • Seal the handi with a dough and make four dents in this for the steam to come out.
  • Cook for 10 minutes in medium flame and for an hour in lower flame
  • Open the lid after half an hour of cooking time,
  • Serve with salad-