Ingredients
1.250 kg Mutton
750 gm Kaima rice
15 Cashews
For biryani masala:
1 tbsp Fennel seeds
1 tsp Coriander seeds
1 tsp Pepper
1 tsp Cumin seeds
7 Green cardamom
2 Big cardamom
3 one-inch-long Cinnamon sticks
1 Star anise
1 strand of mace
1 Nutmeg
3 Bay leaves
6 Cloves
For gravy:
7 Onions (chopped)
5 Tomatoes (chopped)
1 tbsp Ginger paste
1 tbsp Garlic paste
10 Green chillies (chopped)
½ tsp Turmeric powder
½ cup Coriander leaves (chopped)
¼ cup Mint leaves (chopped)
1 tsp Chilli flakes
1 tbsp Lime juice
2 tbsp Yoghurt
Salt to taste
Refined oil, as needed
100 gms Clarified butter
To mix with water for boiling rice:
2 Bay leaves
2 inch Cinnamon stick
3 Cardamom
100 gms Clarified butter
Method
Clean and rinse the mutton pieces. Set aside.
In a pan, gently heat the ingredients mentioned under 'for biryani masala' over a low flame. Then, grind them in a mixer grinder to make a fine powder and set aside.
Heat refined oil in a pan over a medium flame. Add the chopped onions and fry them evenly until golden. You can do this in two or three batches.
Then, wash and rinse the rice, and keep the soaked rice aside for 20 minutes.
In a biryani pot, add the cleaned mutton pieces, chopped tomatoes, ginger paste, garlic paste, green chillies, turmeric powder, chopped mint leaves, coriander leaves, three fourth of the fried onion, two teaspoons of masala powder, lime juice, two tablespoons of yoghurt, and salt to taste and combine well.
Add 600 ml of water. Cover and cook. Once it starts boiling, add two teaspoons of chilli flakes and salt if required. Cover for another 30 to 40 minutes or until the mutton is cooked well.
Meanwhile, heat another pot and add 100 gms of clarified butter, two bay leaves, two small pieces of cinnamon sticks, and cardamom. Sauté for a few seconds.
Add six cups of water and a pinch of salt. Once the water starts boiling, add the soaked rice. Cook the rice until 70 per cent is done, then drain it and set aside.
Once the mutton is cooked well, open the lid and continue cooking until the gravy becomes partly thick and the clarified butter settles on top.
Add some coriander leaves as a thin layer above the gravy. Then, add a layer of cooked rice. On top of this, spread some fried onion, fried cashews, and coriander leaves. Repeat after adding the second layer of rice.
Finally, heat a cast iron tawa and keep the biryani pot on top. Cook the biryani in its own steam or dum, for about 20 to 25 minutes over a low flame. Thalassery Biryani is ready to be served.
Note: If Kaima rice is unavailable, you may use Basmati rice.
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