Floyd’s imperial biryani

Name: Floyd’s imperial biryani
Yield: Serves 10
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: a pinch of saffron threads soaked in 2 tablespoons water; 4 blades of mace; 1 kg/2¼ lb basmati rice, washed under running water for at least 15 minutes and strained; 6 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves; 10 g/⅓ oz ground cinnamon; 100 g/4 oz cashew nuts; plain flour; 100 g/4 oz raisins; 2 kg/4½ lb mutton morsels (or lamb or goat); 2 tablespoons lemon juice; 10 cloves; 10 cardamom pods; vegetable oil; 350 g/12 oz ghee; 8 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander leaves; 2 teaspoons chilli powder; a few drops of rosewater; 150 g/5 oz coarsely chopped red onions; 150 g/5 oz finely sliced red onions; 100 g/4 oz cream; salt; 250 g/9 oz natural yoghurt; 40 g/1½ oz root ginger, peeled; small packet of silver leaf, to garnish; 100 g/4 oz flaked almonds; 40 g/1½ oz cloves of garlic, peeled

Preparation info

Serves
10

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

Floyd's India

By Keith Floyd

Published 2001

About

This is a sumptuous dish of tender, spicy mutton cooked gently in fragrant rice. A celebration dish, it should be served for a very special occasion. It is best to have small pieces of good quality mutton and, if possible, on the bone. Lamb or goat can be used instead of mutton, if preferred.

Ingredients

1 kg/2¼ lb basmati rice, washed under running water for at least 15 minutes and strained
350 g

Asia
India
Main course
Spicy

Method

Soak the washed rice in fresh water for 1 hour. Meanwhile, dry roast all the spices for the masala in a frying pan over a low heat, then grind them to a powder in a food processor or blender. Mix together all the ingredients for the purée.
Drain the soaked rice thoroughly. Heat some of the ghee in a large wok or shallow frying pan and sauté the rice for 2 or 3