Marinate half a kilogram of mutton (with bones) for a few hours with:
Salt (to taste)
half a teaspoon of turmeric
one teaspoon of chilli powder
two teaspoons of coriander powder
one teaspoon of garam or biryani or mutton masala
3-5 tablespoons of curd
soak 2 cups of basmati rice in warm water for about an hour and drain.
in a small cooker, heat 2 tablespoons of ghee and add cinnamon bark, bay leaves, cloves, cardamom, and black peppercorns and roast. add the marinated mutton to this and saute on high heat. add 2 medium sized chopped tomatoes and 5-10 slit green chillies, close the cooker and switch off after one whistle.
(note: you can also use a mixture of your regular cooking oil and ghee is required)
in a pan, heat 1 tablespoon of ghee and add cinnamon bark, bay leaves, cloves, cardamom, and black peppercorns and roast. add the soaked and drained basmati rice to this and saute. add half the quantity of water required to cook the rice and cook on medium flame till all the water evaporates.
in a kadai, fry 2 large onions in ghee till they are a deep brown.
mince mint and coriander leaves (to taste)
in a large pan, spread half the rice at the bottom. layer half the browned onions and half the mint over the rice. spread the mutton and gravy over this. spread half the coriander leaves and the remaining rice over the mutton, followed by the remaining browned onions and mint.
(note: at this point adjust salt and water quantities)
place a fitted lid on the large pan and weigh it down. steam the biryani till the bubbling boise stops and all the water is absorbed.
serve garnished with the remaining coriander and the juice of a lemon.
