Green Mutton Biryani

• 500 grams mutton with the bones – cut into small pieces
• ½ kilo biryani rice – washed and soaked for 30 minutes
• 3 medium sized onions
• 1 cup beaten yoghurt
• ¼ cup cashew nuts - fried
• Salt as per taste
• Green food color
• 1 cup of oil
• Whole spices - 3 green cardamom, 1 black cardamom, 2 bay leaves, 4 cloves and 1- inch stick of cinnamon, 1tsp caraway seeds, 1 tsp black pepper corns
• Grind to paste - 250 grams of fresh coriander leaves, 12-15 green chilies,6-7 garlic cloves and2 inch piece of ginger * Lessen the amount of green chillies if you want it less spicy.

For marinating

• Juice of I lemon
•  1 tsp cumin powder
•  1 tsp coriander powder
•  1 tsp black pepper powder
•  1 tsp meat masala
•  1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• Salt as per taste

Cooking the mutton

• Marinate the mutton for at least 1 hour, with all the ingredients listed for marinating. Cook it in a pressure cooker till 6-7 whistles or till it is almost cooked through.
• Meanwhile in a thick bottom pan, heat oil, add the whole spices, when it crackles, add onions and fry till golden. Now add the ground paste and cook it well for 7-8 minutes or till the raw smell disappears. Add the mutton followed by the yoghurt. Stir it and cook it covered for another 5-6 minutes.

Cooking the rice

• In a large pan heat enough water, and boil the rice with salt and 1bsp oil till it is 3/4^th done. Strain and keep aside.

Layering the biryani

• In a thick bottomed pan, arrange a layer of rice, over that arrange half of the cooked mutton followed by another layer of rice. Sprinkle over it little cashew nuts, few drops of rose water and little green color. Arrange remaining mutton over it followed by remaining rice. Sprinkle few more drops of rose water and green food color and remaining cashew nuts.  Seal the pan with the foil paper, cover the lid and cook it on the slowest flame for 10-15 minutes.
• Serve hot with raita of your choice.