Hyderabadi Biryani

The very sound of it, makes people drool. The most sought after food, especially for Hyderabadis.
Here is the recipe, I would like to share which my mom passed it on to me.

This recipe consists of 3 steps and a lengthy procedure, but it's worth the effort.  You will amaze your guests with this delicacy.

Ingredients:
Basmati rice - 4 cups soaked
Meat - 1 lbs trimmed and cut into big cubes
Green masala paste - consists of coriander/ mint / green chillies- 4 tbsp approx
whole garam masala  - consists of cloves, cinnamon, shahi jeera, cardamom, bay leaf.
Garam masala powder -  1 tsp
yogurt - 1 cup
red chilli pwd - 1 tsp
salt
lemon juice - Juice from 2 medium sized lemons
Fried onions
oil-  50 ml
food colour - egg yellow, orange
Cashews and raisins to garnish (optional)
Chopped coriander to garnish

Method:
Step one: Marination

Wash the Meat , trim out the excess fat and marinate it with the green masala paste, garam masala pwd, yogurt, lemon juice ,some fried onions, salt ,  red chilli pwd and little oil  and marinate it for atleast 3 hrs.( Over night is better).

Step 2:  Boiling rice

Take water in a dish and boil, add the whole garam masala . After the water comes to a boil add the soaked rice. let it cook until it is half done. add salt to the rice while cooking.

Step 3 : Baking

Take a big dish, put the marinated meat and layer it with the  fresh mint, coriander, and green chillies, add the rice and spread it  in a layer and add the fried onions and layer it. Put the remaining rice and layer it.
Top it off with a sprinkle of oil, sprinkle of food colour mixed in milk, fried onions. Bake it for 45 mins in total.  This was a big challenge for me in the initial days as the stoves are electric in western countries. But eventually I mastered it.  First 5 mins on   High, next 10 min on medium, and next half hour in slow.

biryani