CUTCHI MEMONI BIRYANI:

What sets this biryani apart from others is the minimal use of oil and spices. “We use a lot of saffron and is cooked in such a way that the masala doesn’t drench the rice, which also makes it nongreasy. The meat should be for 24 hours,” says Faiziya Soomar of

Cutchi Memoni Table who has been making this dish for 25 years.

INGREDIENTS:

■ Mutton - 1.5 kg

■ Basmati rice - 1 kg

■ Ghee - 1/ 4 kg

■ Onion - 6

■ Curd - 1/ 4 kg

■ Tomatoes - 4

■ Potatoes - 4

■ Cinnamon - 2 sticks

■ Cardamom - 5

■ Clove and whole pepper - 1 teaspoon

■ Garlic paste - 2 tablespoon

■ Chilly powder - 2 tablespoon

■ Ginger paste - 2 tablespoon

■ Turmeric - 1/ 4 teaspoon

■ Juice of 2 limes

■ Salt to taste

■ Bunch of mint leaves

■ 2 generous pinches of saffron

METHOD:

■ Marinate mutton overnight with half the ginger garlic paste, chilly powder, salt and half the quantity of the curd. In a big vessel, heat the ghee, add the cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and whole pepper and add shredded onion. Fry to golden brown.

■ Then add mutton and the other half of the ginger garlic paste, turmeric and salt and fry for a while. Add finely chopped tomatoes, chilly powder, remaining curd, mint leaves and potatoes. Cook on slow till the mutton softens. Add lime juice. Remove the ghee floating on top in a separate container.

■ Par- boil the rice in a big vessel with lots of water and cook till 3/ 4th done. Layer the rice over the prepared masala. Pour the extracted ghee over the rice. In a mortar and pestle, grind the saffron to a paste with two drops of cold milk. Boil one cup of milk with this saffron paste and pour over the rice.

■ Close the lid of the vessel, seal it with a wet cloth to prevent the steam from escaping. Place the vessel on a tava and slow cook it for 20 minutes. Keep the lid sealed until serving.