Korma Ki Biryani

It has been a really long and busy weekend. Actually the weekend started on Thursday itself, with everyone celebrating Dussehra, the festival celebrating the Indian god Rama's victory over the evil demon king Ravan. The festival is celebrated with large effigies (some of them as huge as 70 ft high) of Ravan, his brother Kumbhakarna and his son Meghnaad, set afire. The festival is also called Vijaydashami and is on the 10th day of Navratri. In the eastern part of India, this day is also celebrated as the day Goddess Durga killed the buffalo demon Mahishasura. In short, the day is celebrated as the day of victory of good over evil. Starting the Navratris the festival season has started in Delhi and many parts of India and will continue till Diwali and then all the way till X'Mas and New Years eve. The weather has also turned much cooler, so there will be a lot of parties and a lot of good food being cooked.

After the hectic Navratras and Dussehra, we decided to take it easy this weekend, as far as cooking at home was concerned. We anyways had the F1 Grand Prix Food Festival to attend at Leela's in Gurgaon and I was saving myself up for a grand evening and I can say now after having been there last night, that it did not disappoint. Taking it easy meant a Biryani lunch. Now Biryani, atleast in our household is the relaxation day food. It is meant for days when you want to laze around in front of the TV, watch a movie, eat food and drink beer. Since I had picked up atleast a dozen movie titles from a sale a few days back, the agenda was to start watching the movies, and enjoy some tasty Biryani alongside chilled Beer (raita, papad thrown in too). 

The Biryani that I decided to cook up this time was a Korma Biryani. Korma and Biryani, both, are extremely popular food items and when we marry the two we get an absolutely brilliant, tasty dish.

Other Biryani recipes on this site:

Bohri Biryani
Lucknowi Dum Pukht Biryani
Khoja Kachi Biryani
Hyderabadi Biryani

Korma Ki Biryani


Ingredients:
For the Korma
Mutton / Lamb, assorted cuts - 500 gm
Potatoes, medium sized, quartered - 2
Onions, finely sliced - 2
Caraway Seeds - 1/4 Tsp
Green Cardamoms - 2
1" Cinnamon Stick - 1
Ginger Paste - 1 Tsp
Garlic Paste - 1 Tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/3 Tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1 Tsp
Yogurt, whisked - 1 Cup
Muskmelon Seeds - 2 Tsp
Watermelon seeds - 2 Tsp
Cashews - 6
Dessicated Coconut - 2 Tsp
Coriander, chopped - 1 Tsp
Mint Leaves. chopped - 1 Tsp
Green Chilies, chopped - 2
Salt
Oil - For frying

For the Rice:
Basmati Rice - 250 gm
Peppercorns - 5
1" Cinnamon Stick - 1
Cloves - 2
Salt
Oil - 1 Tblsp

For Assembling
Milk - 1/3 Cup
Lemon Juice - 2 Tsp
Ghee - 1 Tblsp
Cream - 1 Tblsp
Saffron, crushed & dissolved in half cup warm milk - 1/2 Tsp
Wheat flour (Atta) - Made into dough with water for sealing the pot
Coriander, chopped - 1 Tsp

Method:
For Korma
1. Make a paste of musk melon seeds, watermelon seeds, cashews and dessicated coconut with 1 Tblsp water. Keep aside.
2. Heat Oil in a handi. Fry the potatoes till they turn golden brown. Drain and keep aside.
3. In the same oil, fry the onion slices till they turn golden brown. Remove and keep aside. Once cool, crush the onion slices.
4. Now take, a large pot (preferably a lagan) which can accommodate both meat and rice. Transfer half the oil from the handi to this pot/lagan. Put it on flame.
5. Once the oil is hot, add caraway seeds, cinnamon stick and cardamoms. As the cardamom starts to change colour, add the ginger and garlic paste. Fry for half a minute and add in the salt, turmeric powder and red chili powder (mix red chili powder with a tsp of water to make a paste and add - this will prevent the spice from burning).
6. Add in the meat pieces and fry on high flame for 5 minutes. Lower the fame and add in the yogurt and continue stirring till it comes to a boil.
7. Add in the melon seeds, cashew, coconut paste. Mix well and cook for a minute.
8. Add a cup of water and cover and cook on a medium flame for 20 minutes or till meat is 3/4th done.
9. Add in the fried potatoes and crushed onions. Mix well and cook till potatoes are tender and the meat is done.
10. Add in the chopped coriander, green chilies and mint. Mix well.
11. Cook till meat gravy is reduced to one cup.
For the Rice:
12. Soak the rice for 20 minutes. Drain.
13. In a large vessel (separate from the one used to cook the meat) boil a litre of water along with peppercorns, cinnamon, cloves, salt and oil.
14. When water comes to a boil, add in the rice.
15. Cook till rice is 2/3rd done. Drain the water.
To Assemble:
16. Layer the rice over the Korma (Meat gravy).
17. Sprinkle the ghee, cream, lemon juice, saffron soaked in milk and milk on top.
18. Cover with a tight fitting lid and seal the sides with atta dough.
19. Put a tava (Flat plate) on flame and add the Biryani vessel on top. Cook for 10-15 minutes on medium flame.
20. Remove from flame, open pot and garnish with freshly chopped coriander.Serve hot.

Posted in: Biryani,Entree,Indian Cooking,Lamb,Meat,Mutton,North Indian Cuisine,Rice