MUTTON BRIYANI- (AMBUR STYLE)

 

This is one of my family's favorite recipes.this mutton biriyani tastes more of the Ambur style (A place called ambur in tamilnadu which is famous for their briyani).This place ambur is famous for their special briyani and people whoever travel via ambur will definitely stop there for their awesome taste.I have tried many briyani recipes and this one specially when i tried tasted more like the ambur type.Everyone at home enjoyed it thoroughly and the briyani was over within minutes.You can use chicken also in the palce of mutton but the cooking time drastically varied for chicken which i will give you in the cook's notes later.So , follow the instructions exactly to get the right consistency and taste.

  

 Here in my briyani recipe i usually grind some of the spices like cloves and cardamom ,as i dont like to bite them .so if u wish you can add the spices as whole.

 The soaked dry red chillies paste gives it the authentic flavour. .So never skip that step.

 INGREDIENTS:

• Mutton     -    1kg
• basmati rice - 4 cups
• water           - 5 cups
• onions     -     3 large
• tomatoes  -    3 large
• dry red chillis  -   6
• ginger    -     1 inch piece
• garlic    -      6 cloves
• green chillies  -   3
• coriander leaves -   1 cup (finely chopped)
• mint leaves       -     1/2 cup (finely chopped)
• lime juice         -     2 tablespoon
• curd                  -     1/2 cup
• star anise             -  1
• javithri/maze        -   1
• bay leaf                -   1
• red chilli powder  -  1 teaspoon
• turmeric powder   -   1/2 teaspoon
• ghee                     -   4 tablespoons
• oil                        -   2 tablespoons
• salt to taste

TO GRIND (1):

• Jeera     -         1 tablespoon
• bay leaf  -        1
• cinnamon  -   2 inch stick
• cloves      -    4 
• cardamom -  2.

TO GRIND (2):

     Grind together the ginger,garlic and green chillies.

TO GRIND (3):

     Soak the dry red chillies in 1/2 cup warm water for 15 mins.then squeeze the chillies and grind to a fine paste.

METHOD:

1. Wash and soak the basmati rice for 30mins
2. Meanwhile heat the oil and ghee in a pressure cooker and temper the bayleaf,star anise and the maze.Now add the powdered spices.
3. Add the onions and fry till golden.
4. now add the ginger garlic chilli paste and fry till raw smell leaves.
5. Add the washed mutton pieces and fry till it changes colour.
6. add the tomatoes and fry till it becomes mushy.
7. now add the coriander and mint leaves and saute for a minute.
8. Add the curd and again saute for a minute.
9. add the lime juice.
10. Next add the red chilli powder and turmeric powder and red chilli paste and saute for a minute.
11. Add the required salt.
12. Close the lid and put on the weight.(The onions,mutton and tomatoes will leave sufficient water.If not add half a cup of water .not more than that)
13. Let it cook for 10 to 12 whistles.The muttton should be cooked well.it depends upon the meat.For me it took 12 whistles to cook.You can check after the 8th whistle.if cooked properly then you can proceed with the next step.
14. Let the pressure reduces and then open the lid.
15. transfer the mutton pieces separately and measure the liquid left.This should be measured accordingly for cooking the rice.For example, if you are left with 2 cups of liquid  from cooking the mutton then You should only add 3 cups of water for the rice.
16. now add the soaked rice to the same pressure cooker and add the mutton pieces.Now measure the liquid and water and ass it to the pressure cooker.Check for salt and add extra if required.
17. Close and put the weight.
18. let it simmer for 20mis.
19. Open when pressure leaves and mix carefully so as not to break the rice.
20. garnish with coriander and serve with boiled eggs and ONION RAITHA.

COOK'S NOTE:

1. you can use chicken instead of mutton,but make sure to reduce the cooking time.for chicken 3 to 5 whistles will be sufficient.
2. you can also make this briyani using dum process.dumming process i have explained in my CHICKEN DUM BRIYANI.
3. You can also opt to use the spices as whole instead of  grindind.Personally i dont like the bite of cloves or cardamom,so i have ground them.
4. Never skip the dried red chilli paste.It gives the briyani its authentic taste.