Kofta Biryani

Ingredients:

 
* 500 gms Basmati rice
* For the Kofta curry: 1 kg lamb/ beef or chicken mince
* 3 large onions chopped very fine
* 2 tbsps garlic paste
* 1 tbsp ginger paste
* 2 tbsps garam masala (to make your own, see recipe below)
* 3 tbsps tomato ketchup
* 1/2 cup coriander leaves chopped fine
* Salt to taste
* 4 large tomatoes cubed
* 2 tsps coriander powder
* 1 tsp cumin powder
* 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
* 1 bsp gaam masala
* 1 tsp chilli powder (optional)
* 5 tbsps vegetable/canola/sunflower cooking oil
* 2 tbsps garlic paste
* 1 tbsp ginger paste
* To garnish: 1 large onion sliced finely
* 1 tbsp saffron strands
* 3 tbsps warm milk
* 3-4 tbsps fresh chopped coriander
Method:

  * Wash the rice. Soak it in warm water for 30 minutes. Cook the rice till amost done. Drain remaining water (if any) and keep aside. * Put the minced lamb/ beef/ chicken, 2 of the chopped onions, 2 tbsps garlic paste, 1 tbsp ginger paste, 2 tbsps garam masala, tomato ketchup and coriander leaves in a lage bowl and mix well. * Form the mixture into equal sized balls and keep on a plate. * Heat the oil in a pan and fry the sliced onion in it till crispy and golden. When done, drain and remove from the oil and keep aside on paper towels to garnish biryani later. * In the same oil, add the remaining (finely chopped) onions. Fry till they are light brown then add the ginger and garlic pastes. Fry for a minute. Add all the spices – coriander, cumin, red chilli powder, garam masala, turmeric – and fry for 2-3 minutes. * Add the tomatoes and mix well. Fry the masala till the oil begins to separate from it. * Add 1 cup of warm water to the masala and season with salt to taste. Gently add the meatballs now. Do not stir for at least the next 5 minutes. * Stir gently so as not to break the meatballs. * Cook uncovered till the meatballs are done. There should not be more than 1 to 1 1/2 cups of gravy left at the end of this stage, so dry it as required. * Soak the saffron strands in 2-3 tbsps of warm milk. * Take a large, deep baking dish/ ovenproof dish (it MUST have its own cover) and grease lightly with cooking oil. Layer the rice and Koftas as follows: rice – Koftas – rice. End with a layer of rice. * Pour the saffron infused milk all over the top of the last layer of rice. * Garnish with the crispy fried onions, chopped corainder leaves. Cover the dish and seal tightly. * Bake in a hot oven for 30 minutes. * Serve hot with a raita and green salad of your choice.