The other day I pulled out packet of Frozen Minced meat aka Kheema to defrost it with the intention to make Meatball Curry and a quick Veggie Pulao for Lunch. But while I was chopping the onions for the same, I suddenly had the notion to make a Biryani...with the Kheema! I've never made anything like this before but I must say I was very pleased with my fickle mindedness this time! ha
Sharing my recipe for this tasty and spicy Kheema Biryani.
 |
| The Layers! |
SPICY KHEEMA BIRYANI
Ingredients:
For Kheema
500 gms Minced Meat ( I used Beef, you can use Mutton if you prefer)
1 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Chilli powder
2 tsp Ginger-Garlic paste
1 heaped tbsp Biryani Masala*
Juice of 1 Lime
Salt to taste
Oil
1 tbsp Pure Ghee
2 large onions,chopped
2 large Tomatoes,chopped
2 Bay leaves
4 Black Cardamom
6 cloves
1 Cinnamon Stick
1 tsp Turmeric powder
1 tsp Chilli powder
2 tbsp Biryani Masala* ( you can use a ready masala from brands like Everest or use my special blend! Recipe at the bottom)
2 tsp Yoghurt
For Rice
800 gms uncooked Basmati Rice, washed and drained
8 cloves
2 Cinnamon Sticks
1 Star Anise
Salt
1 tsp Pure Ghee
For Topping
2 Large onions, Sliced
Handful Raisins, washed and dried
Handful Almonds, chopped roughly
Oil
Assembly
Orange and yellow food coloring (or a few strands of Saffron diluted in a little milk)
Pure Ghee
Handful of Coriander and Mint leaves, chopped fine
Method:
Put the minced meat in a large bowl and adf the next 6 ingredients. Mix thoroughly and keep aside to marinate for 20-30 mins.
In the meantime, wash rice and drain. Prep vegetables and keep aside.
Next, fill a large pot with sufficient water and bring to a boil. Add the whole spices, salt and the rice to the boiling water. Give it one stir and add the ghee. Stir again. Boil till rice is almost cooked but not quite done. Drain water and let rice cool.
Now to cook the Kheema, heat oil in another pot and add the ghee. Add the whole spices and stir till fragrant. Add in the chopped onions and cook till transparent and put in the chopped tomatoes. Season with salt at this point and cook till veggies soften. Add in the powdered spices including Turmeric, chilli and Biryani Masala and cook it well till the oil separates. Put in the Kheema now and stir well. Add a little water and let it cook well till Kheema is almost dry and fully coated with spice mix. Spoon in the yoghurt and stir through. Cook for a few more minutes and keep aside.
For the topping, heat oil in a frying pan and add sliced onions.Fry onions till very golden brown and add then add in the washed raisins and chopped nuts. Fry til nuts and raisins are well toasted and the onions have turned a deep caramel brown. Keep aside.
Now for the assembly! Grease a large pot well with some pure ghee. Gently spread out a layer of the rice at the bottom. Drizzle with the food colour/ saffron and about a generous tsp of pure ghee. Top with an even layer of the cooked Kheema. Next repeat again with Rice just like the first layer. Keep layering with the top layer being Rice. I did two layers of meat and three of rice.
On the topmost layer after drizzling with colour/ saffron milk and ghee , spread out the Topping mixture neatly over it. Sprinkle with chopped fresh coriander and mint.
Shut the pot with a close fitted lid and put over the stove to gently heat/ cook through. Your biryani is ready to serve.Enjoy!
And here's a recipe of Karachi Biryani Masala that you can use.
*KARACHI BIRYANI MASALA
Grind to a fine powder:
2 big sticks cinnamon
2 tbspn whole cummin
5 pcs star anise
15 pcs green cadamom
1 tbspn peppercorns
1/2 cloves
5 bay leaves
1/2 Nutmeg
1/2 Mace
Once ground to a fine powder add to this mix:
1 tspn turmeric powder
1 tbspn red chilli powder
4 tbspn coriander powder
15 pcs whole cloves
15 peppercorns
10 pcs whole Green Cardamom
15 pcs dried Indian plums ( dry fruits sellers)
1 tspn salt
Mix everything thoroughly and store in an airtight container. Use as needed!
).It
