Ingredients
For the Hyderabadi navratan biryani, boil 10 cups of water with 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tsp salt, mace, 2 black cardamoms along with the spice mix given in the biryani kit.
Boil for 8 -10 mins, and put soaked & strained rice to it. Cook till the rice is 70% done, strain and keep aside.
Blanch all the vegetables except onions and bell peppers. Marinate the blanched vegetables with beaten curd, red chilli powder, and dried onion flakes and biryani paste from the kit for 10 minutes.
Heat ghee in a heavy bottom handi, add paneer cubes and slightly fry and keep aside. To the remaining ghee cumin, add star anise, 1 black cardamom and bay leaves. When cumin starts crackling, add sliced onions and fry until onions turn pink.
Add the bell peppers, marinated vegetables and salt to taste, stir for a while, add khoya and cook covered on medium heat for 3 - 4 mins.
Add rice, fried paneer cubes, cashew nuts, pineapple pieces, cherries, chopped mint and coriander, soaked saffron and cream. Mix all of them amd lightly cook covered on slow fire for 6 - 7 mins.
Add kewra water to the biryani and remove from heat.
For the shahi mahi pasanda, boil and smash the fish. Add all the ingredients, only egg yolks (not egg whites), and sesame seeds. Combine into a mixture.
Shape the mixture into balls. Whisk the remaining egg whites. Put the sesame seeds in it now. Dip the fish balls in it. and fry the fish balls in hot oil till golden brown.
Serve hot with green chutney.