Basmati rice – 3 cups (soaked in water for 30 minutes)
Minced mutton (keema) – 250 gms
Onions – 8 medium (thinly sliced)
Tomatoes – 3 medium (chopped)
Yogurt – 1 cup
Whole spices – 3 tbsp (cloves, green cardamom, cinnamon, black pepper corn, cumin seeds)
Ginger garlic paste – 2 tbsp
Star anise – 1
Bay leaves – 2
Lemon juice – 1 ½ tbsp
Nutmeg powder – ½ tsp
Garam masala powder – 1 tsp
Red chili powder – 1 tsp
Green chili – 2 (finely chopped)
Coriander powder – 2 tsp
Turmeric – ¾ tsp
Mint leaves – 4 tbsp (chopped)
Coriander leaves – for garnish
Oil – 6 tbsp
Ghee – 4 tbsp
Warm milk – ¾ cup
Saffron strands few
Kewda Water – few drops
Salt – as per taste
Yellow food color 1 big pinch

METHOD :

• In a heavy bottom pan, heat oil, add half of the sliced onion and fry till golden brown.
• Remove on the paper towel and set aside.
• In a same oil add half of the whole spices, when splutter add onions and fry till translucent.
• Add keema, ginger garlic paste and chopped green chilies, sauté for 2 minutes.
• Add the chopped tomatoes and cook till the water of the tomatoes dries.
• Add red chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric, nutmeg powder, garam masala powder, sauté for a minute.
• Reduce the heat, add gradually whisked yogurt stirring continuously, cook till the masala starts leaving the oil.
• Add lemon juice, chopped mint, half of the browned onions (crushed).
• Add half a cup of water and cook till done
• Soak the saffron strands in the milk.
• In a heavy bottom pan, heat 4 tbsp of ghee, add remaining half of the whole spices, star anise and bay leaves. Let it splutter, add 6 cups of water, cover and let it come to boil. once starts boiling, add few drops of kewda, salt and rice.
• Cover and cook the rice till about 90% done.
• For layering, remove half of the rice and let half rice remain in the pan as a bottom layer and then pour evenly 1/3 of the milk and saffron mixture.
• For middle layer, spread evenly the cooked keema mixture, spread the remaining the golden brown onions.
• Pour 1/3 of the milk saffron mixture over the middle layer.
• For the top layer, spread evenly the remaining cooked rice.
• Pour 1/3 of the milk saffron mixture over the top layer.
• Mix yellow food color in the little water and sprinkle this over the top layer.
• Cover it and simmer (dum) on very low heat for ½ hour.
• Dish out, garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with raita of your choice.