Hyderabadi Biryani

Instructions

1. Marinate the meat
   In a large bowl, combine the meat with yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, red chili powder, half of the biryani masala, salt, and half of the chopped mint and coriander leaves. Mix well and let it marinate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight in the refrigerator.
2. Prepare the rice
   Bring a large pot of water to a boil with 2-3 cinnamon sticks, 4-5 cardamom pods, 4-5 cloves, and salt. Add the soaked and drained rice and cook until it's 70% done (about 5-6 minutes). Drain the rice and set aside.
3. Fry the onions
   Heat 2 tablespoons of ghee in a pan and fry the thinly sliced onions until they turn golden brown and crispy. Remove half and set aside for garnishing. Add the remaining fried onions to the marinated meat mixture.
4. Layer the biryani
   In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid, add 1 tablespoon of ghee. Place the marinated meat mixture as the bottom layer. Sprinkle half of the remaining biryani masala and lemon juice over the meat. Layer the partially cooked rice on top of the meat. Drizzle the saffron milk, remaining ghee, remaining biryani masala, and the rest of the mint and coriander leaves on top of the rice.
5. Cook with dum method
   Place the green chilies on top of the rice. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. If needed, seal the edges with dough or a wet cloth to prevent steam from escaping. Cook on high heat for 5 minutes, then reduce to low heat and cook for 30-35 minutes (for chicken) or 45-50 minutes (for lamb/goat).
6. Rest the biryani
   Once cooked, turn off the heat and let the biryani rest, undisturbed with the lid on, for 10-15 minutes. This allows the flavors to meld and the meat to become more tender.
7. Serve the biryani
   Gently mix the layers of the biryani, lifting from bottom to top to ensure the flavors are well combined. Garnish with the reserved fried onions and serve hot with raita (yogurt dip), mirchi ka salan (green chili curry), or simple cucumber yogurt.