Thalapakattu Mutton Biryani

Mutton - ½ kg
Basmati rice - 2 cups
Oil - 5 tbsp
Ghee - 1 tbsp
Onion - 2
Tomato - 2
Ginger - small piece
Garlic - 5 pods
Green chilly - 4
Coriander & mint leaves - 1 cup
Turmeric pwd - ½ tbsp
Red chilly pwd - 1 ½ tbsp
Garam masala pwd - 1 ½ tbsp
Bay leaf - 1
Cumin - ½ tbsp
Cinnamon - 2
Cloves - 2 to 4
Cardamom - 2Curd - ¼ cup
Lemon Juice - 1 tbsp
Salt to taste

Method:Wash and soak the basmati rice in water for 10 mins & drain the water and keep aside.

Clean & wash the mutton and pressure cook the mutton pieces with ½ tbsp salt, ½ tbsp turmeric pwd, 1 tbsp oil , ½ tsp red chilly pwd & 1 cup of water for 4 to 5 whistles.

Now drain the stock from the mutton and keep the meat & stock aside.

Chop onion, tomato, ginger, garlic, green chilly, coriander & mint leaves finely and keep aside.

Grind the chopped garlic, ginger, green chilly and mint leaves to a coarse paste without adding
water.

Now add chopped onion to the paste and grind it.
Heat a pressure cooker with 5 tbsp of oil and 1 tbsp ghee.Add bay leaf, cumin, cinnamon, cardamom & cloves.

After splutter,add coriander leaves and saute for few mins.

Add the ground masala paste and fry in low medium flame until the raw smell goes out.

Add finely chopped tomatoes and salt & fry in low flame for 5mins.

Once the oil separates out from the masala, add red chilly pwd, 1 ½ tsp garam masala pwd and fry for 2 mins.

Add curd and mix it well.

Now add boiled mutton pieces and ½ cup of mutton stock & allow to boil for 3mins.

Now add the basmati rice and mix it gently.

Add 3 ½ cups of water and adjust the salt.

Close the cooker lid & pressure cook the biryani in high flame for one whistle and simmer for 5 to 7 mins.Then turn off.

Open the cooker lid after the steam goes away & squeeze out the 1 tbsp of lemon juice and stir it gently.

Now tasty thalapakattu mutton biryani is ready to serve.

Note:you can adjust the spice level according to your taste.