Kalyani Biryani

Kalyani biryani is a typical biryani from the former state of Hyderabad Deccan.[48] Also known as the 'poor man's' Hyderabadi biryani, Kalyani biryani is always made from small cubes of buffalo meat. The meat is flavoured with ginger, garlic, turmeric, red chili, cumin, coriander powder, and much onion and tomato. It is first cooked as a thick curry and then cooked along with rice. Then given dum (the Indian method of steaming in a covered pot). Kalyani biryani is supposed to have originated in Bidar during the reign of the Kalyani Nawabs, who migrated to Hyderabad after one of the Nawabs, Ghazanfur Jang married into the Asaf Jahi family. Kalyani biryani was served by the Kalyani nawabs to all of their subjects who came from Bidar to Hyderabad and stayed or visited their devdi or noble mansion.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 kg Basmati Rice
• 2 kg Beef boneless
• 1/4 cup Ginger garlic paste
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
• 2-3 tbsp Salt or to taste
• 3-4 tbsp Red Chilli powder
• 5-6 Green Chillies slit
• 2 tsp Garam Masala
• 2 small bunches Coriander Leaves finely chopped
• 2 bunches Mint Leaves
• 1/2 kg Yoghurt
• 750 ml Oil
• 1 kg Onions thinly sliced

WHOLE SPICES

• 12-14 Cloves
• 1 tbsp Caraway Seeds
• 3-4 Cinnamon sticks (1 inch)
• 6-7 Cardamom pods
• 6-7 Green Chillies whole
• 1 Lemon medium sized
• as required Water for cooking Rice
• 1 tbsp Ghee
• 7-8 Saffron strands
• 1/4 cup Milk

Step by Steps

Step 1

In a cooking pan, add oil. When the oil is hot, add one onion thinly chopped. Fry till it turn brown and crispy. Keep this aside.

Step 2

Add 3 onions chopped into the remaining oil. When the onions turn light brown, add ginger garlic paste, stir for 30 seconds and add salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, spices, crushed green chili, chopped tomatoes, medium size pieces of boneless mutton, whipped curd and stir for about 30 seconds.

Step 3

Add mint leaves, chopped coriander and close the lid.

Step 4

Cook on medium flame for about 5 minutes and simmer for about 15 minutes so that the mutton gets tender.

Step 5

In an another pan, add 2 litres of water, salt, caraway seeds or shahzeera, small sticks of cinnamon, black cloves, slit cardamoms, chopped coriander, chopped mint leaves, mix well and close the lid.

Step 6

When the water comes to boil, add washed and drained rice.

Step 7

Close the lid and stir at times, semi cook the rice and drain the water. Keep it aside.

Step 8

Stir the mutton gravy till the water dries up and the oil separates.

Step 9

Switch off the flame and spread the semi cooked rice in the form of a layer over the gravy.

Step 10

Add fried onions which we kept aside, add chopped mint leaves, chopped coriander, clarified butter or pure ghee, a pinch of saffron colour soaked in half a cup of milk.

Step 11

Fix the lid using dough or a cloth. Cook on medium flame for about 2 minutes and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Tips

Ka;yani biryani can be served with any raita of your choice like Onion Tomato Raita, Boondi Raita, or Pineapple Raita.