Sindhi Biryani

Ingredients

• 500 g basmati rice, washed until the water runs clear and soaked for 30 minutes
• 750 g bone-in mutton, cut into medium pieces
• 120 ml cooking oil
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 3 large onions, thinly sliced
• 400 g potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
• 4 medium tomatoes, sliced
• 250 g plain yogurt, whisked
• 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 8 green chillies, slit lengthwise
• 10 dried plums (aloo bukhara), soaked in warm water for 15 minutes
• 1 cup fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
• 1 cup fresh coriander, roughly chopped
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp red chilli powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 green cardamom pods
• 2 black cardamom pods
• 4 cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 8 black peppercorns
• 2 tsp salt, for the mutton, or to taste
• 1 tbsp salt, for the rice water
• 1 pinch saffron threads, soaked in 3 tbsp warm milk
• 1 tbsp kewra water

Instructions

1. Mix the mutton with the yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, chilli powder, turmeric, coriander powder, cumin powder and 2 tsp salt. Leave it to marinate while you prepare everything else, for at least 30 minutes.
2. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Fry the sliced onions, stirring often, until deep golden brown, about 15 minutes. Lift out half of the onions onto a plate for layering later.
3. To the oil and remaining onions, add the cumin seeds, bay leaves, green and black cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and peppercorns. Stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
4. Add the marinated mutton and fry over medium-high heat, stirring, until the meat changes colour and the oil begins to separate, about 8 minutes.
5. Add the sliced tomatoes and half of the green chillies. Cook for 5 minutes until the tomatoes soften and break down.
6. Pour in 500 ml hot water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer on low heat until the mutton is about 80% tender and a thick masala remains, around 50 minutes. Add a splash of hot water if it dries out.
7. While the mutton cooks, fry the potato quarters in a separate pan with a little oil until golden on the outside and half cooked inside, about 10 minutes. Set them aside.
8. Bring 3 litres of water to a rolling boil with 1 tbsp salt, the whole spice of your choice if you like, and a few slit chillies. Add the drained rice and boil for 5 to 6 minutes, until the grains are 70% cooked and break easily when pressed but still have a firm centre. Drain right away.
9. Stir the fried potatoes, drained soaked plums, lemon juice, half the mint and half the coriander into the mutton masala. The gravy should be thick and clinging to the meat; if it's watery, cook uncovered for a few minutes.
10. Spread half of the parboiled rice over the masala. Scatter over the reserved fried onions, the remaining mint, coriander and green chillies, then top with the remaining rice.
11. Drizzle the saffron milk, kewra water and 2 tbsp ghee over the top. Poke a few holes down through the rice with a spoon handle so steam can travel.
12. Cover the pot with a tight lid, sealing with foil if the lid is loose. Place it on a hot tawa over the lowest heat and cook on dum for 20 minutes. The rice should be fully tender and the mutton soft.
13. Turn off the heat and rest the pot, covered, for 10 minutes. Gently fold the rice and masala together from the bottom up before serving.

Tips

• Keep the rice slightly undercooked before layering; it finishes in the steam and stays separate instead of turning mushy.
• Sindhi biryani is meant to be sour and spicy. Taste the masala before layering and add more lemon juice or a few more plums if you want it tangier.
• Fry the potatoes only until golden. They finish cooking during dum and would fall apart if fully cooked first.
• Use a tawa under the pot to prevent the bottom layer from scorching.