Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

In a large pot, heat oil until hot and deep fry the sliced onions until browned and crispy. Drain and set aside.

In a large saute pan over medium low heat toast the cloves, cardamom, stick cinnamon, mace (optional), shahi jeera, coriander seeds, bay leaf, fennel seeds for 30 seconds until the spices just start to color. Cool and grind into a powder using a spice grinder.

In a large bowl, mix together the mutton, salt, ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, kashmir red chili powder, mint leaves, cilantro, green chilies, yogurt, lime juice, 1 ½ tablespoons of biryani masala, half a cup of birista (crispy onions) and ¼ cup of the oil you fried the birsta in. Marinate for at least 2 hours.

Warm the milk slightly and infuse with saffron. Set aside.

Rinse the basmati rice under running water for 2-3 times. Place in a bowl filled with water and leave to soak for 30-60 minutes then drain. In a large pot bring 2 liters of water to a boil with salt, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, shahi jeera, mint, cilantro, and optional green chilies. Add drained rice and cook until 50%-60% done, about 5-6 minutes. Reserve half a cup of cooking water then drain the rice.

In a heavy-bottomed pot, layer marinated mutton, half the rice, some fried onions, mint, cilantro, and a sprinkle of biryani masala. Repeat layers, finishing with melted ghee and saffron milk. Cover and cook over medium-high heat for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, reduce the heat to very low. Carefully lift the lid and place a sheet of aluminum foil over the pot to tightly seal in the steam, then add the lid. Place a cast iron skillet under the pot and continue to cook for 45-50 minutes, or until the rice is fully cooked and the mutton is tender.

Serve the Hyderabadi biryani hot.