Khima Biryani (Mince Biryani)

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Ingredients:

1 kg lean mince (chicken/mutton/beef/soya)

2 cups masoor dhal (3/4 boiled in salted water)

½ cup peas (optional)

1 tablespoon ginger/garlic

3 cups basmathi rice or any other

3 potatoes (peeled and cut into pieces)

2 large onions (finely sliced)

2 large tomatoes (finely chopped)

½ cup oil

¼ teaspoon saffron (optional)

2 cinnamon sticks

2 bay leaves

3 elachi pods

4 black peppercorns

3 cloves

2 teaspoons jeera seeds

3 teaspoons dhunia seeds

2 tablespoons chilli powder (or more)

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 tablespoon crushed dried red chillies

2 teaspoons vinegar or lemon juice

½ cup sour milk/yoghurt

1 teaspoon jeera seeds

Salt to taste

3 green chillies (slit)

1 sprig curry leaves

Chopped dhunia for garnishing

VAGAAR:

2 onions (finely sliced)

100g butter

1 tablespoon oil

½ teaspoon jeera seeds

1 sprig curry leaves

METHOD:

If using basmathi rice, soak in hot water for ½ hour. Boil rice in salted water until half done. When draining add cold water to the pot to stop the cooking process. If using basmathi rice, boil the rice just as you are about to set it over the mince.

Roast the cinnamon sticks, elachi, peppercorns, cloves, 2 teaspoons jeera and 3 teaspoons dhunia seeds in a pan. Leave to cool and then grind in a coffee grinder or masala grinder.

Deep fry onions until crispy and golden brown. Squeeze out excess oil between two slotted spoons and place on paper towels. When cool, crush with your fingertips.

Heat oil in pot, braise 1 teaspoon jeera and bay leaves. Add ginger/garlic and fry a further ½ a minute. Add tomatoes, salt and spices (including the ground spices) and simmer until tomatoes softened and spices starting to catch at the bottom of the pot. Add the mince, saffron, crushed onions, green chillies and toss well, breaking up any lumps and ensuring all the spices are well incorporated. Simmer until water evaporated and mince starts to catch at the bottom of the pot. Add the 1 sprig curry leaves, vinegar and sour milk and leave to simmer for a further 10 minutes.

Colour potatoes with a little egg yellow and some fine salt and place in a casserole bowl (covered). Microwave on high for 8 to 10 minutes or until half done. Place over mince. Potatoes can be fried if you prefer.

Spread boiled massoor dhal over the potatoes and mince.

Colour the rice with some egg yellow and spoon over the masoor.

Prepare vagaar as follows: Heat butter and oil in a pan, add the rest of the vagaar ingredients and fry onions until golden brown. Pour over rice, carefully coating the top layer of rice with the mixture.

Pour 1 cup water over rice. Cover the rice with 2 layers of heavy duty foil (to prevent rice drying out) and place in a preheated oven at 180’C for +- 40 minutes.

Garnish with chopped dhunia when serving.

Serve with dahi (sour milk salad) and a mixed tossed salad….

VARIATION: You can replace the masoor with gram dhal or green moongh dhal.

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