Mutton Pilaf

Sometimes we yearn to eat something great and tasteful, but either are too tired or lazy to cook. Nonetheless I stand firmly that a well-balanced home cooked meal is an apt answer to all gastromic issues. It is said that a good cook never remains hungry, and something happened to me yesterday that made me agree to the above statement. Its Diwali week and yesterday being a sunday was pretty hectic for me, among all my chores came cooking too. I usually ensure that weekend meals are special at my house, but the paucity of time just knocked me out...and I was tired before I even knew! And like a knight in shining armour came this dish. It took me somewhat  an hour to cook this Pilaf and the taste made my husband yearn for more and more. 

However, one needs to be clear as to what is a Pilaf and how it is different from Biryani. Biryani is famous for its layered construction, strong aroma and heavier taste while Pilaf is considerably milder both in taste and fragrance and the rice is cooked with the meat so that the jus of the meat mixes completly with the rice giving Pilaf its distinct taste. 

Serves 3

Goes Well With: Cucumber raita, mirch ka salan

Pointers:

• When making any kind of Pulao/Pilaf/ Biryani, where you may need to temper the rice before cooking it is advised to soak the rice for say 5 minutes and drain water off completly. Once drained you may place the rice in a muslin cloth or cheese cloth lined over a seive so that no water remains and the rice may turn semi dry. This will ensure that the rice when cooked has separate grains and do not stick with each other.
• Yakhni or stock in which Puilaf is cooked can be made in several ways. In this recipe I just added whole spices and mutton along with few cloves of garlic.
• While trying hand with Mutton in Pilafs or biryanis alike using pichla raan or posterior of the goat is excellent, its not just tender but has right amount of bone and meat to produce best jus in which rice shall be cooked.
• Making perfect roasted almonds is much simpler in a microwave. Just add handful of almonds on a plate and put it in the microwave on High for a minute. Don't take out the alomonds immediately let it rest until it cools down. In case you dont have a microwave, simply toast them on a tawa or griddle.

Ingredients:

1.5 cups of Rice (soaked and drained - I used par boiled rice)

1/2 kg Mutton 

7-8 cloves of garlic

8 badi elaichi/ black cardamoms

8 choti elaichi/ green cardamoms

10 cloves/ laung

1 tbsp garam masala

1/2 tsp peppercones/ sabut kali mirch

2 bay leaves/ tej patta

1/2 tsp Jeera/ Cumin seeds

1/2 tsp Javitri/ mace

2 small sticks of Cinnamon/ dalchini

Oil/ ghee (I used Ghee)

1/2 cup Roasted Almonds

water

salt to taste

Method:

• Take a cooker and heat 2 tbsp of ghee in it. Once hot add 4 badi elaichi, 4 choti elaichi, 5 cloves, peppercones, javitri and a stick of dalchini. Let the whole spices splutter.
• Add all garlic into the fragrant ghee along with the mutton and garam masala. On low flame fry the meat for 15 minutes.
• Now add water and salt to the meat and cook until 4 whistles of the pressure cooker.
• In a kadahi / wok heat 2 tbsp of ghee. Once hot add remaining badi elaichi, choti elachi, dalchini, laung along with Cumin seeds and tej patta. Let the spices splutter.
• Add the drained rice into the kadahi and fry it on a low flame until the rice becomes translucent. 
• Now add the rice into the mutton in the pressure cooker, also add roasted almonds and water (if necessary). Close lid and cook for 2-3 whistles, depending upon the type of rice you are using. 
• Once done wait til the pressure is released and then place the Pilaf on a serving dish. Enjoy hot.