Keema Biryani

Step 1: Prepare Onions and Keema

Finely chop 2 big onions. Wash 1kg ground mutton and place it in a strainer to drain all blood and water. Separate the white and green parts of 4 green onions and chop them finely. Finely chop ginger and 4 green chilies. Chop 1 big tomato. Prepare mint leaves, cilantro, lemon slices, and dry plums for layering.

Step 2: Prepare Rice

Take 2 cups of Basmati rice. Wash the rice multiple times until the water runs clear. Soak the rice in water for 40 minutes. If using Sella rice, soak for 2 hours.

Step 3: Cook Keema Gravy

Heat 1/2 cup of oil in a pan. Add the chopped onions and cook until they turn golden brown. Remove about half of the fried onions and set aside for later use. Add 1 tablespoon of ginger and garlic paste and cook for 1 minute. Add 8 whole peppercorns, 5 whole cloves, 2 star anise, 4 whole green cardamoms, 1 teaspoon of whole fennel, 2 whole brown cardamoms, 2 bay leaves, 1 cinnamon stick, and a pinch of mace and nutmeg. Cook on low heat for 1 minute. Add the chopped big tomato and cook until it's fully mixed and softened. Add 1/2 tablespoon of red chili powder, 1/2 tablespoon of salt, and a pinch of turmeric powder. Add the 1kg ground mutton and cook on high heat until its color changes. Reduce heat to low and add 1/2 cup of non-sour yogurt. Increase the heat to high again. Add 1 glass of hot water and mix. Cover the pan and cook on medium heat for 20 minutes, checking and stirring occasionally. Add the chopped white part of the green onions, 1 teaspoon of chili flakes, 1 tablespoon of coriander powder, 1/2 tablespoon of cumin powder, 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, and 1 teaspoon of garam masala powder. Add chopped green chilies and cilantro. Mix well. The keema gravy is now ready.

Step 4: Boil Rice

In a large pot, boil water. Add 2 tablespoons of salt, 2 whole green cardamoms, 5 whole cloves, 1 whole brown cardamom, 1 cinnamon stick, 1 piece of lemon peel, 1 teaspoon of whole cumin seeds, a pinch of fennel, a dash of vinegar, and 1 teaspoon of oil. Cover and bring the water to a boil. Add the soaked rice to the boiling water. Boil the rice on high heat for 2 minutes, until it is 80% cooked. Strain the rice and leave it in the strainer for 10 minutes to drain excess water. Gently mix the rice in the strainer to prevent sticking.

Step 5: Layer the Biryani

Take out half of the cooked keema gravy from the pan. On the remaining keema in the pan, add a layer of chopped tomatoes, chopped cilantro, mint leaves, finely chopped ginger, chopped green chilies, lemon slices, and dry plums. Add a layer of the boiled rice on top. Add the reserved cooked keema on top of the rice. Add another layer of chopped cilantro, mint, green chilies, tomatoes, ginger, green onions, lemon slices, a little bit of salt, and a little bit of black pepper. Add the remaining boiled rice. Remove the boiled lemon peel from the rice. Drizzle orange food coloring and red food coloring over the rice. Sprinkle the reserved fried onions and mint leaves. Drizzle 1 teaspoon of melted desi ghee over the top.

Step 6: Steam the Biryani

Increase the heat to high for a moment to create steam. Then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pan with a lid wrapped in a cloth and cook on low heat for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, turn off the heat. Gently mix the biryani using a plate to avoid breaking the rice grains. Do not overmix. Cover the biryani and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Step 7: Serve

Transfer the Keema Biryani into a serving dish. Serve hot and enjoy!

• For vegetarians, grate cabbage and use it the same way as keema.

• If using yellow food coloring, use less turmeric.

• Use non-sour yogurt.

• Adding vinegar and oil to boiling water helps rice cook well.

• Do not use boiled lemon peel in the final layering.

• Mix rice gently with a plate to avoid breaking grains.

• Do not serve immediately after turning off heat; let it rest.

• Can use beef or chicken keema.

• Vegetarian option with grated cabbage.