Chettinadu Aattu Kari Biryani (Chettinad Mutton Biryani)

I had this recipe written down in my recipe book. I have no recollection whatsoever of where I got it from, whether from a TV show or from the internet or by word of mouth. I searched the internet for this recipe and could not find anything even close to this. All I know now after making the biryani is that it tasted yummy on a Sunday afternoon and you could try it too and leave your comments for me!!!

Serves 4 
Ingredients 

• 3 cups basmati rice, washed and soaked in water for 1/2 hour
• 900 grams mutton (Tender male goat shoulder meat), marinated for 1/2 hour
• 3 large tomotoes, diced
• 4 large onions, finely chopped
• 5 cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 bayleaves
• 150 ml oil

To grind to a fine paste with water

• 2 tbsp garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 tsp chopped ginger
• 3 green chili peppers
• 1 cup mint leaves, tightly packed

To marinate

• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric 
• 1/2 tsp pepper powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp salt
• 4 tbsp yogurt

Preparation

• Heat oil in a cooker and add the spices. After spices splutter, add onion and saute till golden brown. Add ground paste and saute for 5 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes. Add marinated mutton and saute for 3 minutes.
• Cover and cook for 3 minutes, then simmer for 5 minutes and switch off. (You can simmer for longer if meat is tough)
• Boil water in a vessel adding 1 1/2 tbsp salt. Add rice and allow to come up about 10 minutes and about 80% cooked. Drain immediately. Keep the stock aside.
• Add rice in layers to the gravy in the cooker or in a wider vessel. Add mint leaves (optional) over the layers and cook in dum for 15 minutes. (See notes below)

Notes

• To cook in dum, you have to cover the lid with a wet cloth and place a pot or vessel with the hot rice stock covered over the lid. Alternatively, you could place red hot charcoal over the lid.
• Long before gas stoves or even kerosene stoves, when charcoal and firewood were used for cooking, red hot charcoal or firewood would be placed on top of the lid of cooker or vessel to cook in dum.