Mutton Biryani | How to make Mutton Biryani - by foodogger

Mutton Biryani

Mutton Biryani is a royal dish with beautifully spiced and fragrant layers of biryani rice centered with juicy, tender mutton (goat meat or lamb) and spices

Ingredients:-

To grind to a paste (for marination)

1. ¼ cup Coriander Leaves tightly packed
2. 4-5 Green Chilies you may adjust as per preference
3. 16– 18 Garlic Cloves
4. 3 inches Ginger Piece
5. 1 teaspoon Peppercorns
6. 5-6 Cardamom
7. 6– 8 Cloves

To marinate the mutton

1. 1 cup Thick Yoghurt
2. ¼ cup Golden Fried Onions (barista)
3. ½ tablespoon Garam Masala Powder
4. Salt To Taste
5. 1 kilogram Lamb or Goat Meat on bone Cut in medium-sized pieces

For biryani gravy

1. 8 tablespoons Vegetable Oil divided
2. 5 Potatoes medium, cut in large cubes
3. 2 Onions large, finely sliced
4. 2-inch Cinnamon Stick
5. 2 teaspoons Cumin Seeds
6. 1 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
7. 3-4 teaspoons Kashmiri Red Chili Powder
8. 1 tablespoon Coriander Powder
9. Water as needed
10. 2 Tomatoes large, sliced
11. 4-5 Green Chilies slit or sliced

To cook the rice

1. 4 cups Long Grain Basmati Rice
2. Water as needed
3. 2– 3 Bay Leaves
4. 1 ½ inch Cinnamon Sticks
5. 1 teaspoon Caraway Seeds (shah jeera) or Cumin Seeds
6. 3– 4 Cloves
7. 5– 6 Green Cardamom
8. 1 Star Anise
9. 1 tablespoon Ghee

For layering the biryani

1. ¼ cup Mint leaves
2. 3 tablespoons Ghee
3. A generous pinch of saffron soaked in 4 tablespoons of milk
4. ⅓ cup caramelized onions or fried onions (Barista)

Instructions:-

Preparation and marination

• Add all the ingredients mentioned under "masalas to grind to paste" into a blender and blend everything together to a fine paste.
• In a large bowl, add ground masala paste, ¼ cup barista, whisked yogurt, and garam masala powder along with salt.
• Add clean and washed mutton and mix well. Allow the mutton to marinate for at least 2 hours under refrigeration. (preferable - overnight)
• Clean and wash biryani rice and soak it for 45 minutes, strain the rice, and set it aside.

Making the biryani gravy

• Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a pan, add potato cubes.  Fry the potatoes until golden, take them out, and set them aside.
• Heat remaining oil in a handi, add sliced onions, salt, and fry until pink and soft. Add cinnamon sticks and cumin seeds and cook.
• Fry until the onions start picking up golden color, do not over brown or burn it.
• Add marinated mutton and saute on high for 5-6 minutes until the raw smell goes off.
• Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, and coriander powder and mix.
• Add 2 cups of water, cover, and cook the mutton until tender. Keep stirring at regular intervals, if the water dries up, you may add more.
• Add tomato slices, fried potatoes, and chilies and cook for another 6-8 minutes.
• Carefully scoop out the layer of oil in a bowl and set it aside for later use.

Cook the biryani rice

• In a large pot, add enough water, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, shah jeera (or cumin seeds), cloves, cardamom, star anise, ghee, and salt. Bring it to a boil.
• Once the water starts boiling, strain the soaked rice and add to boiling water.
• Cook the rice until 90 percent done. Immediately strain the water and set the rice aside.

Layer and slow cook (dum) the biryani

• In a large pot in which you want to dum (slow cook) the biryani, add half the cooked rice as a bottom layer.
• Add cooked mutton masala and spread evenly.
• Sprinkle mint leaves, 1 tablespoon ghee, ½ of the soaked saffron, and barista on the mutton. Add the remaining rice over the mutton layer evenly.
• Add remaining ghee, saffron milk, and reserved oil that we scooped out from the mutton masala.
• Put a clean cotton cloth over the top and cover it with the lid putting heavy weight on the top of the lid. 
• Dum the mutton biryani for 20 minutes, first on high flames for 5 minutes and then simmer for 15 minutes. Let it rest for 15 minutes.
• Carefully dish it out, serve steaming hot biryani with raita of your choice.