Mrs M’s Kashmiri Biryani

Method

Marinate chicken/lamb with Mrs M’s Kashmiri Biryani paste and 3 tbsp butter ghee. Leave to marinate overnight or for a minimum of
4 hours. Rinse masoor and put to boil for approx. 20 minutes (until it’s half done). Add turmeric powder to the water before boiling. Remove from heat, strain and set aside.

Rinse basmati rice thoroughly and add to a pot of boiling water. Add cinnamon sticks, cloves elachie and salt to the water. Once rice is half way boiled remove from heat and strain. Add a pinch of egg yellow powder to cooked rice and set aside.

Peel and cut potatoes in 4s. Colour potatoes with a pinch of egg yellow powder. Fry potatoes in deep oil until half way cooked. Remove from oil and set aside. Add 1⁄2 cup oil to a 30 or 32cm flat pot. Place marinated chicken/lamb pieces in the pot covering the entire bottom of the pot.

Layer the semi-boiled masoor evenly over the meat/chicken. Spread out potatoes over the masoor. Finally layer the rice over the potatoes completely covering everything. Add 3 tbsp ghee over the rice and 1 cup of boiling water.

Cooking Time

Chicken – cook on stove for 20 minutes, cover pot with foil and place lid over then transfer to a pre-heated oven and cook for another 45 minutes on 180 degrees.

Lamb/Beef – cook on stove for 30 minutes, cover pot with foil and place lid over then transfer to a pre-heated oven and cook for another 1 hour on 180 degrees.

Just before removing the pot from the oven, add boiled eggs.

Serving Suggestion

Serve with Raaita (yoghurt salad), papadums or salad.

Raaita Recipe

1 bottle Gorima’s mint/dhania chutney 1 litre plain yoghurt/maas
Half cucumber cubed
1 carrot grated

Salt to taste

Add Gorima’s mint/dhania chutney to yoghurt. Add cucumber, carrot and salt. Blend all together with a spoon and serve cold.