Pullao Shahzada

500 grams rice
1 kg mutton
25 grams ginger
24 flakes garlic
4 large cardamoms
8 cloves
2 piece cinnamon stick
1 tblsp peppercorns
2 bay leaves
a large pinch each of nutmeg and mace
75 grams almonds (blanched)
50 grams raisins
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp saffron strands
1 large cup sour curd
2 thIsps garam masala
1 tblsp each of cumin and
coriander seeds (ground)
salt and chilli powder to taste
2 cups ghee
500 grams onions (sliced thin)
ghee for frying
6 medium sized potatoes (peeled, cubed and fried)
a little flour

METHOD:

Grind half the ginger, garlic and whole spices to a paste and tie the paste in a piece of cloth. Remove the bones and scraps from the mutton and place in large vessel, along with the spice bag. Fill the vessel about 3/4 full with hot water, and cook for an hour and a half. Remove the scum as it rises to the surface. Then remove from fire, squeeze out the liquid from the spice bag, and strain the stock through a cloth. Now grind half the almonds and raisins to a paste and dissolve the paste in 1/2 cup of milk. Dissolve the saffron in the remaining milk. Grind the remaining garlic and ginger to a paste and mix into the mutton, along with the curd, ground spices and salt. Set aside for 1 hour.

Heat 1 cup of ghee and fry the onions till crisp and brown. Set half the onions aside in 'a plate. Add the mutton to the rest, then cover and cook over a medium fire till the mutton is almost done. Now add the almond and raisin milk and cook till the ghee floats to the top. Re¬move from fire. Heat another cup of ghee in a separate vessel and add the remaining whole spices, then the rice, and fry for 5 minutes. Now add the stock, along with enough water to stand an inch above the level of the rice. Bring the stock to a boil, reduce heat, and cook till the rice is almost done. Fry the remaining almonds and raisins. Now grease a large vessel and, in it, arrange the rice, mutton, potatoes, fried onions and nuts in layers. Start and finish with a layer of rice. Sprinkle the whole with saffron milk. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and seal with flour dough. Place the vessel over high fire, and reduce the heat when the steam starts- escaping. Cook for 15 minutes. Serve piping hot.