Memoni Biryani

Memoni biryani is a spicy biryani made with lamb. It's a recipe belonging to memons of Sindh from India or Pakistan. Very aromatic and spicy, one of the best kind you would ask for. In this recipe I have given the original spice mix which goes in the biryani but if you don't want to gather all of them you can use store bought memoni biryani mix too. The fried onions in the recipe is a must. I used goat meat here but if you like lamb try with lamb meat. Chicken can be used but the flavor cannot be guaranteed. Soaking the rice is really essential too. Try out this recipe and I'm sure you will fall in love with this. And don't forget to leave your feedback.
 

INGREDIENTS :
Serves 4

For the rice:
2 Cups basmati rice
8 Cups water
1" Cinnamon
2 Cardamoms
2 Cloves
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp ghee/clarified butter
Salt to taste

For the curry:
1 Lb goat meat
1 Big potato
2 Big onion
2 Medium tomatoes
5 Green chilles
2 Tbsp ginger garlic paste
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 Cup yogurt
2 Tbsp memoni biryani masala (Recipe follows)
2 Tblsp rose water
1/2 Tsp saffron
1 Cup fried onion (2 medium sized onion thinly sliced and fried golden)
4 Tbsp oil
Salt to taste

Memoni biryani masala :
1/2 Tbsp red chili powder
1/2 Tbsp coriander powder
1/2 Tsp turmeric powder
1/2 Tsp pepper powder
1/2 Tsp all spice powder
1/8 Tsp nutmeg powder
1/8 Tsp mace powder
1/8 Tsp dill seed (optional)
2 Green cardamom crushed
1 Black cardamom crushed
1/2 Tsp screw pine (/kewra) essence

METHOD :

Clean and soak the basmati rice in water for at least 30 minutes.
Heat a deep frying pan or pressure cooker over medium flame. Add oil and when warm  add thinly sliced onions. Saute them until transparent. Add split green chilies.
Add in the ginger garlic paste and fry until raw smell is gone.
Then goes in the yogurt and mix well. At this point add the cleaned meat and give it a stir until everything is mixed together. Add the lemon juice and the biryani masala. Fry well for two minutes.
Now add the cubed potatoes.
Throw in the tomatoes and check salt and add more if needed.
If using the pan close lid and cook in medium flame for 30mins stirring in between and adding water as needed.
If using pressure cooker, add about 1/2 cup water mix everything together and close the cooker. Cook until two whistles, then reduce flame and cook for 10mins. Switch-off stove and wait until pressure is down and open the lid.
In the meantime bring the 8 cups water in a big pot. Add the cinnamon, cardamom, clove, ghee, lemon juice and salt. When water comes to a rolling boil add the soaked and drained rice, give it a stir when the rice starts boiling, set timer for 5mins. When timer is done, switch-off the stove and strain just the water. The rice will be cooked through but looks like soaked rice. When you eat you don't get the bite of raw rice in the center. This is the right time otherwise when biryani is done it might feel as if the rice is overcooked.
You can finish off the biryani over the stove or in the oven.
If doing it in stove layer the curry on the bottom of a wide pan and top with cooked rice, sprinkle saffron soaked in rose water, layer with fried onion. Close the pan and keep over an iron tava over medium low heat for 30mins. Keep some kind of weight over the lid to secure the steam.
Pre heat oven to 400 degrees F. Layer a deep oven proof pan with the cooked meat masala. Spread the rice over the curry. Pour the saffron soaked in rose water on top and garnish with fried onion.
Tightly close with the lid and bake for about 20mins.
Reduce oven temp. to 350 F and bake for about 20 more minutes more.
Mix the rice and meat before serving.