Duck Biriyani

Duck meat is a flavorful type of poultry that we don't used to cook often. Resembles to chicken but the taste and cooking time differs...Unlike chicken, the duck meat is dark, dry and chewy. But when  we cooked in proper manner it tastes juicy and tender...Here is a delicious preparation of Duck biriyani with simple steps.

Ingredients:

1. Duck-1 kg
2. Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp
3. Lemon juice-1 tbsp
4. Pepper powder-1 tsp
5. Garam masala-1/2 tsp
6. Salt-to taste

For masala:

1. Onion thinly sliced-3 large
2. Tomato thinly sliced-2 large
3. Ginger, garlic, green chilly paste- 2 bsp
4. Garam masala-2 tsp
5. Curd-1 tbsp
6. Mint leaves chopped-1/4 cup
7. Coriander leaves-1/4 cup
8. Salt-to taste
9. Ghee / oil - 1/4 cup

For Rice:

1. Basmati rice/ jeera rice -2cup
2. Cinnamon stick-2(one inch size)
3. Cardamom pods-4
4. Cloves-4
5. Bay leaves-2
6. Salt-to taste

To garnish:

1. Fried onions-2 large
2. Cashew nuts-few
3. Raisins-few
4. carrot grated-few(optional)
5. Lemon juice-2 tsp
6. Ghee melted-2 tbsp
7. Rose water/ kewra water / pineapple essence-few drops

Preparation:

•  Marinate the duck pieces with above marinate ingredients.
• Keep it aside for 20 minutes and pressure cooks it with 1/2 cup of water till ¾th cooked (about 4 to 5 whistles).
• In a pan heat ghee; Firstly fry the onions for garnishing followed by the cashew and raisins.
• Take it out and keep aside.
• In the remaining ghee; add onions thinly sliced for masala and sauté  well.
• Add ginger, garlic, green chilly paste in to it.
• When the raw smell goes add tomato in to it;
• When the tomatoes are mashed well add garam masala, coriander leaves, mint leaves and salt.
• Add the cooked duck along with its stock (if any) in to onion masala and cook for another 15-minutes  in a low-medium flame.
• Mean while soak the rice in water for 30 minutes and drain.
• Boil water (ENOUGH WATER TO COOK AND DRAIN THE RICE) in another pan by adding salt, cinnamon stick, cardamom, bay leaves and cloves.
• When it boils; add drained rice and cook until 3/4 th cooked. Drain it.
• In the dum pan add little ghee; spread half part of duck masala.
• Add half part of rice on top of it; sprinkle half of the garnishing ingredients.
• Spread remaining masala on top of it and the remaining rice.
• Sprinkle remaining garnishing ingredients on top.
• Cover the lid tightly  (without escaping any steam; or you can place a heavy  hot water pan on top of the lid) and put it on the stove top for 20-30 minutes on very low flame.
• Switch off the flame and rest for another 10 minutes.
• Open it and give a gentle mix and serve hot wit raitha and pickle.