My beloved biryani, a dish that’s truly one of a kind…
Biryani is an emotion, it’s a vibe, feel, nostalgia & it’s pure joy. Who can possibly resist biryani??? None, without any doubt.
A plate of biryani has the extraordinary power to turn a normal day into a special one.
On a cold snowy day, for lunch, I made this gourmet mutton biryani. With layers of meat, rice, fried onions, nuts & herbs. A dish that’s worth the wait.
With every bite, I tasted your love. It’s a dish that’s truly sent from heaven. A culinary masterpiece that’s everyone’s delight.
Sharing the recipe for making finger-licking mutton biryani with all you biryani lovers.
Mutton Biryani with raita
Aromatic Delicious Gourmet Mutton-Goat Biryani | Best Tasting For Special Occasions
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Author: Thasneen
Recipe type: Main
Cuisine: Indian
Serves: 6 People
Ingredients
For marinating mutton or goat
- Mutton or goat- 1 kg or 2 lb, bone-in pieces
- Ginger-garlic paste- 2 tbsp
- Crushed green chilies- 2 tbsp
- Turmeric powder- ¼ tsp
- Coriander powder- 1 tbsp
- Fennel powder- 1 tbsp
- Garam masala- 1 tbsp
- Salt- 1½ tsp
- Curry leaves- 10 leaves
- Cilantro, chopped- ¼ cup
- Mint leaves, chopped- 10 leaves
- Lemon juice- 1 tbsp
For grinding
- Garlic- 4 large cloves
- Ginger- 2-inch slice
- Green chilies- 4 or more based on your spice level
- Small pearl onions or shallots- 4 pearl onions or 2 shallots
- Whole green cardamoms- 3
- Whole cloves- 2
- Whole cinnamon- 2 inch slice
For making mutton masala
- Ghee- 1 tbsp
- Coconut oil- 2 tbsp
- Dried bay leaves- 2
- Whole mace- 2
- Whole star anise- 1
- Onions, sliced thin- 3 large yellow onions
- Ground ginger-garlic paste
- Pearl onions or shallots, sliced- 6 pearl onions or 4 shallots
- Cooked mutton
- Yogurt- 3 tbsp
- Coriander powder- 1 tsp
- Fennel powder- 1 tsp
- Garam masala- ½ tsp
- Salt- 1 tsp
- Cilantro, chopped- 2 tbsp
For cooking rice
- Ghee- 3 tbsp
- Whole green cardamom- 3
- Whole cloves- 2
- Whole cinnamon- 1-inch slice
- Dried bay leaves- 2
- Basmati rice- 2 cups (soaked & rinsed)
- Mutton gravy- 1 cup
- Water- 2½ cups
- Salt- 1¼ tsp
For layering
- Mutton masala
- Cooked basmati rice
- Fried onions- 1 onion sliced & fried
- Ghee-roasted cashew nuts or almonds- ¼ cup
- Ghee-roasted raisins- 2 tbsp
- Cilantro, chopped- ¼ cup
- Mint leaves chopped- ¼ cup
- Saffron water- 10 saffron strands soaked in 2 tbsp water or milk
- Ghee- 2 tbsp
- Hard-boiled eggs- 4 or more, optional
Instructions
Prep work
- I've taken 1 kg or 2 lb mutton, bone-in pieces are the best for making biryani.
- While cleaning the mutton, I've added ¼ tsp turmeric powder & ½ tbsp salt to the water & soaked the mutton for 5 minutes & rinsed it well in running water.
- Drain all the water from the mutton.
- In a bowl, soak 2 cups of basmati rice in 4 cups of water for 30 minutes. After soaking, take the basmati rice in a strainer & rinse in running tap water till the water runs clear.
- This recipe is for 6 servings. For making more, you can double or triple the recipe.
First step: Marinate the mutton
- To a bowl, add the well-cleaned mutton, add all the ingredients mentioned 'for marinating mutton'.
- Combine well & let marinate for at least an hour, you can also let it marinate overnight.
Second step: Grind the spices
- To a blender jar, add the ingredients mentioned 'for grinding' & grind to a coarse paste. Keep it aside.
- For making this biryani, chili powder is not added, green chilies added will impart the heat.
- Based on your spice level you can add the green chilies, I make my biryani mildly spicy, hence I've added fewer green chilies.
Third step: Pressure cook marinated mutton
- After an hour long marination, pressure cook the marinated mutton.
- I've used my Instant Pot, add the mutton to the stainless steel pot & combine well.
- Don't have to add water in the Instant Pot.
- Close the pot with the lid.
- Select pressure cook setting, set the time to 20 minutes at high pressure.
- If you don't have an Instant Pot, use a regular pressure cooker, in the regular pressure cooker, along with the mutton you have to add 1 cup water & pressure cook for 3 to 4 whistles.
- After pressure cooking, in the instant pot let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes & then do a quick pressure release.
- Open the lid.
- Mutton will be perfectly cooked & fork tender, there will be around 1 cup liquid in the pot, it's the flavorful mutton gravy.
- Save the gravy, we'll use this for cooking rice.
- Keep aside the cooked mutton.
Fourth step: Making mutton masala
- While the mutton is being pressure cooked, let's start making the masala.
- To a large wide pan, add ghee & oil.
- Add dried bay leaves, whole mace & star anise. saute for a few seconds till aromatic.
- Add the sliced onions, onions have to be sliced thin. I've added 3 large yellow onions.
- If using medium-sized onions, add 5 onions.
- Add the ground ginger-garlic-green chilies-shallots-whole garam masala paste. Combine well.
- Add the sliced pearl onions or shallots.
- Season with 1 tsp salt, combine well.
- Cook for a few minutes till the onions turn light brown in color, will take at least 20 minutes.
- Add the cooked mutton, don't add the mutton gravy.
- Combine well & cook for 2 minutes.
- In a bowl take yogurt & beat well using a whisk.
- Add the yogurt to the mutton, combine well.
- Add coriander powder, fennel powder, garam masala & more salt if needed.
- Give everything a good mix & cook for 5 minutes.
- Add chopped cilantro & mint leaves, combine well
- Take the pan off the heat & keep the mutton masala covered.
Fifth step: Cooking rice
- Place a large saucepan over medium heat, add ghee.
- Add whole cardamom, cloves, cinnamon & dried bay leaves; saute for a few seconds till aromatic.
- Add the soaked & rinsed basmati rice, roast for 3 minutes.
- Add the mutton gravy (the liquid that's left in the pot after pressure cooking mutton), there will be around 1 cup of mutton gravy.
- Add 2½ cups warm water.
- Total liquid measurement should be 3½ cups for cooking 2 cups basmati rice over stove top.
- Add salt & combine well.
- Cook covered for 12 to 15 minutes till the rice has 90% cooked.
- The cooking time of the rice depends on the kind of the basmati rice you've used, some variety cook really fast in just 10 minutes, some take 20 minutes.
- Take the pan off the heat & keep the rice covered for 3 minutes.
Sixth step: Prep work before layering the biryani
- Soak saffron strands in water or milk for 5 minutes.
- Fry the onions, I've taken 1 sliced yellow onion & fried it in oil till golden brown.
- Roast cashew nuts or almonds & raisins in ghee.
- Have chopped cilantro & mint leaves ready.
Seventh step: Layering the biryani
- I used the same large wide pan used for cooking the mutton masala.
- Spread half of the mutton masala as the first layer.
- Spread half of the cooked basmati rice over the mutton masala.
- Drizzle half of the soaked saffron water over the rice.
- Top with half of the fried onions, roasted cashew nuts, raisins, cilantro & mint leaves.
- Drizzle 1 tbsp ghee.
- Spread the remaining mutton masala, layer with the remaining cooked rice, drizzle saffron water, top with remaining fried onions, roasted cashew nuts, raisins, cilantro & mint leaves.
- Drizzle 1 tbsp ghee.
- I also placed 4 hard boiled eggs on the top, gently place them into the rice; this is optional.
Eight step: Dum cooking
- If you have banana leaves, cover the pan with banana leaves. This is an optional step.
- Cover tightly with aluminum foil & with the pan's lid.
- Place over low heat & dum cook for 20 minutes- ensure the heat is low, else the mutton masala at the bottom will turn brown.
- After 20 minutes of dum cooking, gently take the biryani pot off the heat & let rest for 5 minutes.
- Open the lid, aluminum foil & banana leaves.
- Pause & inhale the mesmerizing aroma of the biryani. It's just divine.
- Gently combine the mutton masala & rice & serve on a plate.
- Enjoy with raita, pappad & pickle.
- Making biryani is time-consuming, however...
- This is a dish that's worth the effort. With each handful, you'll savor the taste. A culinary masterpiece that brings everyone together & fills with joy & spice.
- Enjoy my dear biryani lovers!
Notes
Tips for making the best biryani
1- For best tasting biryani, use fresh ingredients like garlic, ginger, green chilies, fresh cilantro & mint leaves.
2- Don't skip adding fresh mint leaves, will enhance the aroma of the biryani.
3- Meat has to be marinated for at least an hour, more time the better.
4- Use good quality basmati rice, basmati rice has to be soaked in water for 15 to 30 minutes.
5- Cook the rice in the mutton gravy, will make the rice really flavorful.
6- If the rice is not salted properly, biryani will taste bland so taste & add salt accordingly.
7- While layering, must add saffron, fried onions, roasted cashew nuts, raisins & fresh cilantro/mint leaves; these will greatly enhance the taste & aroma of the biryani.
8- Dum cook over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, don't skip this step.
9- Use good quality ghee.
10- Last but not least, make the biryani with all your heart & sprinkle lots of love, your biryani will make everyone's taste buds dance with joy 🙂
1- For best tasting biryani, use fresh ingredients like garlic, ginger, green chilies, fresh cilantro & mint leaves.
2- Don't skip adding fresh mint leaves, will enhance the aroma of the biryani.
3- Meat has to be marinated for at least an hour, more time the better.
4- Use good quality basmati rice, basmati rice has to be soaked in water for 15 to 30 minutes.
5- Cook the rice in the mutton gravy, will make the rice really flavorful.
6- If the rice is not salted properly, biryani will taste bland so taste & add salt accordingly.
7- While layering, must add saffron, fried onions, roasted cashew nuts, raisins & fresh cilantro/mint leaves; these will greatly enhance the taste & aroma of the biryani.
8- Dum cook over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, don't skip this step.
9- Use good quality ghee.
10- Last but not least, make the biryani with all your heart & sprinkle lots of love, your biryani will make everyone's taste buds dance with joy 🙂
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