Mutton Kabsa

"Kabsa is a family of rice dishes that are served mostly in Saudi Arabia - where it is commonly regarded as a national dish. In places like Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Iraq and Kuwait the dish is popularly known as machbus" - Wikipedia 

All said, my wife got this recipe from her Mom and it delicious and flavorful. Try it out with Raita (yogurt salad) and enjoi...

Serves: 4

Spice level: Medium

Preparation time: 1 Hr. 10 Mins.

Cook time (incl. Prep. time):  2 Hrs.

Ingredients:

To Cook Mutton:

1. Coconut Milk - 1/4 Cup (Thick)

2. Cashew Nut - 10 (soaked in water for 4 hrs.)

3. Mutton: 1 Lb. (400 grms., Medium sized cubes)

4. Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Tsp.

5. Salt - to taste

6. Garam Masala - 1 Pinch

7. Black Pepper Powder - 1 Pinch

7. Water - 1 cup

To Cook Rice:

8. Ghee - 1 Tbsp.

9. Basmati Rice - 2 cups

10. Ginger - 1 Tsp. (chopped)

11. Garlic - 1 Tsp. (chopped)

12. Salt - to taste

13. Water - 3 3/4 cups

To Make the Gravy:

14. Veg. Oil (2 Tbsp.)

15. Cloves - 4

16. Cinnamon sticks - 2 (1 inch pieces)

18. Cardamom - 4

19. Onion - 1 (thin slices)

20. Green Chillies - 2

21. Ginger - 1 inch piece (chopped)

22. Garlic - 5 Cloves (chopped)

23. Kashmiri Chilli Powder - 1 Tsp.

24. Turmeric - 1/4 tsp.

25. Garam Masala Powder - 1 pinch

26. Tomato - 2 (chopped)

27. Yogurt - 2 Tbsp.

28. Lime Juice - Squeezed from half lime

29. Coriander Leaves - 1/4 cup (chopped)

30. Mint Leaves - 1/4 cup (chopped)

31. Salt to taste

32. Coriander Leaves - 1/4 cup (chopped)

33. Mint Leaves - 1/4 cup (chopped)

Preparation:

1. In a grinder, add coconut milk and cashew nut to make a thick creamy paste.

2. In a pressure cooker add mutton, turmeric powder, black pepper powder, salt and garam masala along with water just enough to cover the meat. Cook the meat for about 20 mins. till the meat is soft and tender and until all water is evaporated.

3. Remove the pressure cooker off the stove, add the cashew-coconut paste and mix well until the mutton pieces and evenly coated with the creamy paste. Set aside.

4. Meanwhile, in another large vessel boil 3 3/4 cup water with ghee, ginger, garlic and salt. Add rice to the pan once the water reaches hard boil. Cook for 20-25 mins. or until all the water is evaporated. Keep it aside.

5. Heat oil in a sauce pan and add Cloves, cinnamon and cardamom and sauté for 1 min.

6. Add onions and green chillies with a pinch of salt and sauté till the onions are transparent. Add ginger and garlic and cook it for 2 mins.

7. Add Chilli powder, Turmeric powder and a pinch of garam masala powder and cook till the raw smell of the powders vanishes.

8. Add tomatoes and sauté for 2 more mins. Mix in yogurt, lime juice, coriander leaves and mint leaves and cook for 2 more mins covered.

9. Remove the pan off the stove and add this masala into the pressure cooker with mutton.

10. Layer the cooked rice on top of the masala, sprinkle with chopped coriander and mint leaves and close the lid with the weights on.

11. Hard boil water in a large vessel and get it off the stove.

12. Place the closed pressure cooked with mutton and rice into the vessel with boiled water and leave it there for about 20 mins.

13. Remove the pressure cooker, empty the Kabsa onto a serving bowl and serve it warm.