Beef Biryani

(pic:credit to onwer)

Ingredients

 2 cups Basmati rice
 2 sticks cinnamon
 5+3 cloves
 5 cardamoms
 3 teaspoons ghee
 2 bay leaves
 Salt to taste
 1 teaspoon lime juice
 1 lb. beef
 2 cups onion, thinly sliced+1 onion, finely chopped
 4 green chillies
 3 teaspoons chopped fresh root ginger
 10 cloves garlic
 1 tomato, chopped
 ½ cup yogurt
 1 teaspoon ground chili
 ½ teaspoon ground cilantro
 ½ ground turmeric
 2 ½ teaspoon garam masala
 ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
 1 cup coconut milk
 2 pieces mace
 Oil
 A handful of fresh mint and cilantro
 2 teaspoons cashew nuts
 2 teaspoons raisins

Directions:

Cut the beef into medium sized pieces. Place the beef in a bowl. Add in the salt, pepper, yogurt, and 1/2 teaspoon garam masala and set aside for 30 minutes.

Soak the rice for 15 minutes and drain completely.

Heat a teaspoonful of ghee in a pan and add 5 cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and bay leaf and fry for a minute. Add the rice and fry for another 5 minutes. Pour in 4 cups of hot water, salt and lime juice. Cover and cook till the rice is done. Set aside.

Blend the green chillies, ginger and garlic together in a coffee grinder.

Heat a teaspoon of ghee in a pan and fry the thinly sliced onions till golden. Keep the onions aside and lightly fry the cashew nuts and raisins, until browned and keep aside. Add in the remaining ghee into the pan. Now add in the chopped onion and sauté till golden brown. Now stir in the ginger-chilli mixture and fry for another 2 minutes.

Add in the ground chili, ground cilantro, ground turmeric, garam masala and fry for another 2 minutes. Now stir in the tomato, mace, bay leaf, remainder of the cloves, fresh cilantro and mint. Add the marinated beef and mix well. Pour in the coconut milk and season well. Now cover the pan and cook till the meat is tender.

Grease a baking dish. Spread a layer of rice at the base of the dish. Now spread a layer of beef on top of the rice layer. Arrange the remaining rice and beef in the same way. Top the last layer with fried onions, cashews and raisins. Cover the dish with aluminium foil.

Preheat oven to 350 deg. F and bake for 10 minutes.