Mutton Awadhi Biryani in Microwave

This mildly-spicy Biriyani is one of our favorite. Making biriyani sometimes becomes a headache because of the complex procedure of giving dum (air-sealed, low heat cooking). This easier version is almost as good in taste, but way easier to make.

Ingredients

1. 1 kg mutton( Goat Meat ) cut into medium sized pieces
2. 500gms. long grain basmati rice washed and soaked for 30 minutes 
3. 1 medium red onion cut into thick slices
4. 1 inch ginger bruised
5. 6,7 cloves of garlic crushed
6. 1 inch cinnamon stick
7. 4,5 cloves
8. 3,4 green cardamom
9. 2,3 black cardamom
10. 10-15 black pepper corns
11. 1 small piece of mace (Javitri )
12. 5 dry whole red chili 
13. 1 tsp. sahi jeera
14. 3,4 bay leaves
15. 1 tbsp. sugar
16. Salt to taste
17. 1tsp. shahi garam masala powder
18. 1tsp. rose water 
19. 1/2 cup hung curd or thick plain yogurt
20. 2 + 2 tbsp. ghee or clarified butter

Procedure

Marinate mutton pieces with thick curd, salt and sugar. Let it rest for an hour.

Wrap all the spices (3-14) in a rectangular muslin cloth and tie up all four corners together to make a pouch.

In a heavy bottom pan add 2 tbsp. ghee and allow it to melt. Add the marinated meat morsels to it and sear them on high flame till they turn light brown.

Now pour about a litre of lukewarm water to it. Once the water starts boiling drop the muslin pouch to it. Cover and simmer till the mutton becomes tender. Check and adjust the water level if required.

Skim off any scum that rises to the surface and separate the meat pieces from the stock with a slotted spoon. Keep them aside.

Squeeze the muslin bag firmly to extract all the spicy juice from it and then discard the bag. Now strain the mutton stock to get a clear juice.

Take a deep microwave safe bowl and grease the inner walls with 2tbsp. ghee. Put the drained rice along with 850ml. of strained mutton-stock and mutton-pieces. Adjust salt and mix them well.

Cook uncovered on high power for 12 minutes. Sprinkle garam masala powder and  one spoon of rose water over it. Stir once again.

Cook it covered for another 24 minutes.

Remove the lid and fluff it with a fork. Give a 5 minutes standing time before you serve.