A fool proof recipe for the authentic aromatic one pot meal made by the Muslim community in Mumbai/Bombay. This biryani tastes yummilicious-the succulently cooked meat and fried potatoes in aromatic spices are layered with perfectly cooked fragrant rice!

Prepare in : 30 mins
Cook in : 1 hour

Ingredients

• Mutton : 1/2 kg, cleaned and cut into small bite size pieces/li>
• Basmati rice : 2 cups/li>
• Onions : 2, finely sliced/li>
• Potatoes : 2, diced into small cubes/li>
• Turmeric powder – 1 tsp/li>
• Red chili powder – 1 tsp/li>
• Green Chilies : 4/li>
• Ginger-garlic paste – 1 tsp/li>
• Yogurt/curd : 1 cup/li>
• Tomatoes : 2, finely chopped/li>
• Bombay Biryani Masala : 2 tsp/li>
• Bay leaves – 2/li>
• Cardamon pods – 5/li>
• Cloves- 2/li>
• Star Anise – 2/li>
• Fresh mint Leaves : A bunch, finely chopped/li>
• Yellow food color : 1 pinch (optional)/li>
• Fresh coriander leaves – A bunch, finely chopped/li>
• Salt – To taste/li>
• Water- 2 cups/li>
• Oil : As needed

Method
Wash and marinate the mutton pieces with 1/2 tsp of red chili powder, turmeric powder, 1 tsp curd, 1/2 tsp ginger-garlic paste, and salt. Leave it aside for 2 hours.

Marinate the potato cubes with a pinch of turmeric powder, chili powder, and salt and leave it aside for 15 mins.

Heat oil in a pan and fry the potatoes. Drain them on a paper towel and keep aside.

In a large heavy bottomed vessel, heat oil. Add the bay leaves, cardamons, cloves, & start anise and gently fry for one minute until they sizzle and the aromatic flavor is released.

Add sliced onions and saute until golden brown and translucent. Add ginger-garlic paste + chopped green chilies and fry until the raw smell goes away.

Add the remaining chili powder + turmeric powder + biryani masala powder. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until they are soft and mushy and the oil starts to separate.

Add the marinated mutton pieces and fry for a minute. Add one cup of water and mix well until the meat is well combined with the masala. Cover and cook for 20-30 mins, stirring occasionally. When the meat is half done, add in the diced potatoes and the remaining yogurt and stir well. Cover and cook for another 15 minutes. Finally, add in the chopped coriander and mint leaves and mix well.

Soak the rice for 30 mins and drain the water completely. In a large vessel, bring 4 cups of water to boil. Cook the rice till ¾ done.

Transfer half of the the mutton masala to the same cooking vessel in which you cooked rice. Top the masala with half the rice.

Add the remaining mutton masala topped with the remaining rice. Drizzle the yellow food color and mix gently with fork.

Cover and steam on very low heat until rice is tender, about 5-8 minutes, until the rice is thoroughly flavored with the mutton masala. Remove from the fire. Let it rest unopened for another 10 mins.

Serve hot with raita or pickle!