Step-by-Step Instructions

1. 1.Boil Mutton

   In a pressure cooker, boil the mutton pieces with salt and a few hard spices (cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, bay leaf) until 80% cooked. Set aside the mutton and reserve the stock.

2. 2.Prepare Pacha Masala Base

   In a large, heavy-bottomed vessel, heat ghee. Add cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamom pods, star anise, mace, fennel seeds, dried red chilies, and bay leaves. Sauté until fragrant.

3. 3.Add Aromatics

   Add finely chopped ginger, garlic, small onions, green chilies, coriander leaves, and mint leaves. Sauté until the onions are translucent.

4. 4.Add Tomatoes and Powders

   Add finely chopped local tomatoes (Naadan Thakali) and cook until softened. Stir in chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, and the special biryani masala powder. Cook until the oil separates.

5. 5.Combine Mutton and Masala

   Add the 80% cooked mutton pieces (without stock) to the prepared pacha masala. Mix well to coat the mutton evenly. Add yogurt (curd) and mix again. Lower the flame and let it simmer.

6. 6.Cook Mutton in Masala

   Cook the mutton in the masala until fully tender (approx. 1-1.5 hours), ensuring flavors are well-infused.

7. 7.Prepare Rice

   Separately, cook the Kaima/Jeerakasala rice with water, salt, carrots, and hard spices until 80% cooked.

8. 8.Layering for Dum

   In a large dum pot, spread a layer of the cooked mutton masala. Top with a layer of the partially cooked rice.

9. 9.Garnish and Final Layer

   Garnish the rice layer with fried onions (birista), fried cashew nuts, raisins, diced pineapple, fresh chopped coriander, and mint leaves. Drizzle with ghee and sprinkle biryani masala powder. Add another layer of rice on top.

10. 10.Dum Cooking Setup

    Cover the pot tightly with a lid. Place a custom-designed dum apparatus (a metal frame with gas flames) on top of the lid to provide heat from above.

11. 11.Dum Cooking

    Cook the biryani on dum (slow cooking with heat from both top and bottom) for approximately 10 minutes.

12. 12.Serve

    Once dum cooked, gently mix the biryani to combine the layers and flavors. Serve hot, garnished with more fried onions and herbs.