Biryani

2 1/2 lbs. Mutton
2 1/2 lbs. Basmati rice
1/2 lb.Yogurt
Salt to taste
1 medium onion
6 cloves Garlic
1 Tbsp ginger paste
8 small illaichi (Green Cardamom)
1 Tbsp garlic paste
10 cloves
*Ghee Clarified Butter (see below)
**Kewra few drops (see below)
2 pinches Yellow food color
1 pinch Sugar

Add mutton, salt and garlic cloves in a pot with two glasses of water.
Cook on a low flame till the meat is tender and the water dries up. Take
one medium onion. Slice it and fry it in about 4-5 tablespoons of Ghee
till its light brown. Add the rest of the spices, yogurt and fry it a
little. Simultaneously soak the rice in water for half an hour. Boil the
rice till they're half cooked, drain the water and keep put aside. Add the
cooked meat to the sauteed onions to make the masala and cook uncovered
for a few minutes to evaporate excess water. When most of the water has
evaporated, transfer a little rice to a pot, and on top of that add some
of the meat/masala combo in layers, put half the rice in, add all the
meat/masala then top that off with the rest of the rice. Sprinkle on it a
solution of kewra, yellow food color and pinch of sugar. Keep it covered
and on a low flame. Keep the pot tightly closed - you're trying to steam
cook the rice. When the rice is done, the biryani is ready. Serve with
salad or garlic chutney.

NOTE: *Ghee Clarified Butter

What is Ghee? It's is basically butter that has the milk solids and water
removed. According to Ayurveda, Ghee (clarified butter) is the best oil
for cooking. This is because when used in moderation it stimulates the
digestion (Agni) better than any other oil. It also has the ability to
increase ones immunity (called Ojas in Ayurveda). Give it a try! It is
very tasty and without the side effects of plain butter. If you are like
the rest of us around here you will not go back to using any other oil for
your cooking. Ghee does not require refrigeration if you keep moisture out
of it; for example, don't dip a wet spoon into the ghee jar.

Bring the butter to boil in a medium saucepan. Reduce heat to medium and
cook uncovered until done. There are a couple of ways to determine when it
is done. One way is after the butter turns a clear golden color, dip a
strip of paper into the butter, then move away from the butter and all
other flammables and light the strip of paper on fire, if the paper
sputters, crackles and pops, then the water has not been completely
cooked-out and the ghee is not yet done. After using this method a time or
two you can easily tell by the smell and color when the ghee has been
properly cooked. When the butter first starts to boil there will be a lot
of bubbling and gurgling, then this action will subside, next the ghee
will begin to develop a foam at the top, at this point the ghee is done.
Once you make Ghee a time or two it becomes easy to tell when it is done.

**Kewra Pandanus fascicularis

This is a strongly scented flavoring essence favored in festive dishes,
both sweet and savory, of north India. It is used to flavor beverages,
desserts and to add an exotic, flowery fragrance to biriani dishes. Clear
and pale yellow, it is distilled from the highly perfumed male flowers of
a particular variety of pandanus.

Not to be confused with pandan paste (deep green) or pandan essence (clear
pale green), which are made from the leaves of another member of this
plant family


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Old Magic 1


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