Beef biryani

Ingredients

Beef 1.5 kg
Polau chaal (3 cups = 2 cups kalo jeera, 1 cup jasmine)
2 large onions, thinly sliced
Beresta
Raisins, aloo bokhara
2.5 tbsp ginger
2 tbsp garlic
jayatri/joyfol/boro elaach - all 1.5tbsp
little biryani mix (bombay biryani)
1.5tsp cumin powder
1 tsp chili powder
**bay leaf (5-6 big ones), boro and choto elaach, 3 cinnamon sticks
1/2 cup plain yogurt

Mix:
small bowl of milk mixed with kewra/rose/food coloring/ghee/saffron if available.

1. Wash meat, marinade with powders above (maa does not do the joyotri/joyfol, she just does the bombay biryani mix along with additional as above) along with yogurt and ginger/garlic pastes overnight. Remember to wash and then soak rice for at least a few hours

2. fry onion (or beresta in ghee) and add the dry spices **

3. Add beef, cook for a long time on low/medium heat and then once cooked, keep it simmering.

4. Different pot, boil water in the ratio of 1:1.5 with salt/ghee and few drops of kewra and rose water along with remainder of **. Do not drain.

5. When 70-80% done, still some watery and rice is hard, start layering. Key is to do this step fast so the steam doesn't blow off. Prepare your bench with the initial beef layering, the foil covers cut to size, the mix as described above. .

6. Beef --> rice --> beef -->rice etc. top with beresta over the layers, as desired, especially over the top layer. dollop with "Mix"


Cover and keep in oven @ 350 (if watery and rice less done) or 250-300 (if rice harder and cooked more) for 0.5 hours. Do not open foil, keep it covered and at 170F for warming.