Green Chilli, Garlic, Ginger, Cinnamon, Fennel, Pepper, Salt, Cloves, Green Cardamom, Star Anise, Shah Jeera, Turmeric, Mace

Recipe: Thalassery Biriyani (To serve 6) – Ingredients: Mutton medium pieces – 1.25 kg, Sliced onion – 500 g, Ginger crushed – 2 inch piece, Garlic crushed – 4 big cloves, Green chilli crushed – 4 nos, Tomatoes chopped – 2 nos, Curd – 60 ml, Coriander leaves chopped – 35 g, Mint leaves chopped – 30 g, Refined oil – 60 ml, Salt to taste, Melam Thalassery Biriyani Masala – 2½ – 3 tsp, Ghee 15 ml, Lemon – ½ no, Rose water – 30 ml, Pandanus leaf (Biriyani Kaitha) – 1 no.
Method:

• Pressure cook the mutton and keep aside. Heat oil in a vessel.
• Add sliced onions and saute the onions until they start turning colour.
• Add the crushed ginger, garlic and green chillies and saute until the raw smell is gone.
• Add the Melam Thalassery Biriyani Masala and saute for a minute.
• Add tomatoes and saute.
• Once the tomatoes are mashed and the oil starts separating, add the curd and lemon juice.
• Season with salt.
• Then add the mutton.
• Cook further till the oil separates again.
• Finish with chopped mint, coriander leaves and pandanus leaves.
• Fluff up the ghee rice using a fork and transfer the rice on to the mutton masala.
• Drizzle 15 ml ghee and rose water.
• Cover and put on dum for 10 minutes.

N.B.: This biriyani can be prepared using chicken also.

To make Ghee Rice – Ingredients: Onion – 75 g, Ghee – 30 ml, Refined oil – 70 ml, Kaima Rice – 5 cups (1 cup – 200 g), Hot water – 7 ½ cups (1 cup is 150 ml), Green Cardamom – ½ tsp, Cloves – ½ tsp, Cinnamon – 1 stick, Mace scraped – ½ tsp, salt to taste.
Method:

• Wash and drain the rice.
• Heat oil and ghee in a thick bottomed vessel.
• Add the spices and sliced onion, till onion becomes soft.
• Add the rice and saute till the rice is coated with oil.
• Add water and salt and mix well.
• When water level goes below the rice level, cover with a tight fitting lid.
• Transfer the vessel on to a pre-heated tawa.
• Cook further for 10 minutes on a very low flame and switch of the flame and leave it on the tawa.