Mughlai Cuisine: Nawabi Mutton Pulao
Serves: 5-6 People
Time Required: 35 Minutes (Marination Time of 1 Hour)
INGREDIENTS
1. 500 gm Mutton, cut into small pieces;
2. 2 onions roughly chopped, 1 tsp. Salt
3. 1 ½ pints water
4. 1 large onion, chopped
5. 1 clove garlic, chopped
6. 1 inch ginger, chopped
7. ½ kg. Basmati Rice
8. 2 onions, sliced finely
9. 3 tbsps clarified butter ( ghee)
10. 1 bayleaf
11. 1” stick cinnamon
12. 1 black cardamom
13. 4 small green cardamoms
14. ½ tsp. black cumin seeds (Kala zeera)
15. 2 cloves(lavang)
16. 4 tsp kewra * essence water
17. 1 tbs warm water and a pinch of saffron.
METHOD
1.Put mutton, rough chopped onion, salt and water in a heavy bottomed pan.
2. Bring to boil.
3. Reduce heat and simmer for approx. 1 hour or more, till meat is more than ¾ done.
4. Strain and reserve stock. Keep mutton and onion pulp separately.
5. In a blender grind chopped onion, garlic and ginger.
6. Wash rice thoroughly and soak for ½ an hour in cold water.
7. Put 2 tbs clarified butter in a heavy pan
8. Fry roughly chopped onion till golden
9. Add ground onion mixture and cinnamon, cardamom, green cardamoms, black cumin seeds cloves
10. Fry mixture to a pale gold
11. Add strained meat and onion
12. Increase heat and brown meat well
13. Drain rice well.
14. Add to meat mixture and fry till rice is golden
15. Level meat and rice.
16. Pour on meat stock and top with water to cover rice by 1”
17. Reduce heat, cover rice and cook for approx. 20 Minutes or till meat and rice nearly cooked.
18. Pour on kewra water and cook, covered for 3-4 more minutes.
19. Infuse saffron in warm water – lift lid and pour on
20. Cook for another 3-4 minutes
21. Turn off heat and leave Biryani to stand.
22. Gently fork the rice.
23. In another pan, with remaining ghee, fry the finely sliced onions.
24. Scatter on top when serving.
*Kewra essence is a strongly scented flavouring essence usedin festive dish, both sweet and savoury, of north India. It is used to flavour beverages, desserts and to add an exotic, flowery
