Meatball Biryani

Ingredients

 * 2 cups Basmati rice
 * 2 cups finely chopped onions
 * 2 cups diced ripe tomatoes
 * 1tsp chopped green chillies
 * 1 tbsp chopped ginger
 * 1 tbsp chopped garlic
 * 1 tsp red chili powder
 * 1 tbsp coriander powder
 * 1 tsp cumin powder
 * 1 tsp garam masala
 * salt, to taste
 * a pinch of saffron
 * 7-8 black peppercorns
 * 7-8 cloves
 * 2-3 bay leaves
 * 1 cinnamon stick
 * 1 tsp cumin seeds
 * Fresh coriander leaves for garnish
 * Sliced boiled eggs for garnish (optional)

For the meatballs:


 * 1/2 kg minced meat (I used lean ground chicken, but feel free to use any kind of ground meat)
 * 1 beaten egg
 * 1/2 tsp red chili powder
 * 1/2 tsp garam masala
 * 1/2 tsp chopped ginger
 * 1/2 tsp chopped garlic
 * salt, to taste
 * 1 tbsp olive oil
 * 2 tbsp bread crumbs

Directions
Mix all the ingredients for meatballs in a large bowl. Make mixture into bite-sized balls and fry in a little bit of oil till meatballs are brown on all sides. Set aside.

Par-boil rice and set aside. (You can use about 2-3 cups pf water to cook 2 cups of rice. Just make sure the rice is not fully cooked through, or else the Biryani will turn out mushy.)

Heat oil and add cumin seeds. Add onions, garlic, ginger and green chillies, and fry on medium-low heat till they start to brown a bit. Add cinnamon, bay leaves, pepper corns and cloves, and cook for about 2 minutes.

Add tomatoes, salt, chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala and cumin powder. Continue to cook on medium heat till it begins to dry up and starts to give out oil. Add meatballs and covercook for 5-6 minutes till it forms a thick, rich and dry gravy base.

In a non-stick deep pan, put a layer of the meatball gravy, without the meatballs. Now add a layer of rice, topped with a layer of meatballs. Alternate layers of gravy, rice and meatball till everything is used up. Make sure that the top most layer is rice.

Crush a pinch of saffron into 2 tablespoons of water and mix with your finger till the water catches colour. Pour the saffron water over the top layer of rice.

Cover cook for 15 minutes on a low flame, without stirring. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and boiled eggs (optional) and serve alongside Minty Yoghurt Chutney!

Recipe by Hooked on Heat
The blog created by Meenakshi Agarwal is filled with, as the blogger says, lots of spice and everything nice. The pleasant design of the blog is matched by a huge variety of unique content – something you can rarely say about websites or blogs today – facts which make Hooked on Heat a valuable resource for anyone interested in Indian food. Here you will find information on hundreds of Indian dishes, starting from Dips, Sauces and Chutneys, going through Soups and Salads and passing through Delectable Desserts and other food categories that will make your mouth water. You can reach this wealth of information at the following URL: hookedonheat.blogspot.com