How to make Mutton Biryani

Making mutton biryani involves several steps, including marinating the mutton, preparing the rice, and cooking the biryani. Here’s a detailed recipe to help you make a delicious mutton biryani:

Ingredients

For Marinating the Mutton:

• 1 kg mutton, cut into pieces
• 1 cup yogurt
• 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp garam masala powder
• Salt to taste

For Cooking the Rice:

• 3 cups basmati rice
• 4-5 green cardamom pods
• 4-5 cloves
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• Salt to taste
• Water for boiling

For the Biryani:

• 3 large onions, thinly sliced
• 2-3 tomatoes, chopped
• 3-4 green chilies, slit
• 1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves, chopped
• 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
• 1 cup fried onions (barista)
• 1/2 cup ghee or oil
• 1 tsp saffron threads soaked in 1/4 cup warm milk
• 1/2 cup milk
• Juice of 1 lemon

Instructions

Marinating the Mutton:

1. In a large bowl, combine the mutton pieces with yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masala powder, and salt.
2. Mix well to coat the mutton pieces evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight for better results.

Preparing the Rice:

1. Wash the basmati rice thoroughly and soak it in water for 30 minutes. Drain.
2. In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Add cardamom pods, cloves, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, and salt.
3. Add the soaked rice and cook until it is 70-80% cooked (the rice should be firm when bitten).
4. Drain the rice and set aside.

Cooking the Mutton:

1. Heat ghee or oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot. Add sliced onions and fry until golden brown. Remove half of the fried onions and set aside for layering.
2. Add the marinated mutton to the pot and cook on high heat for 5-7 minutes until the mutton is browned.
3. Add chopped tomatoes and cook until they soften.
4. Add green chilies, coriander leaves, and mint leaves. Mix well.
5. Reduce the heat, cover the pot, and cook until the mutton is tender. This may take 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the meat.

Assembling the Biryani:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) if using an oven for the final cooking step.
2. In the pot with the cooked mutton, spread a layer of rice over the mutton.
3. Sprinkle some of the reserved fried onions, saffron milk, and a few drops of lemon juice over the rice layer.
4. Repeat the layers until all the rice and mutton are used up, finishing with a layer of rice topped with fried onions, saffron milk, and lemon juice.
5. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. If using an oven, you can transfer the layered biryani to an oven-safe dish and cover it with aluminum foil.
6. Cook on low heat on the stovetop for 20-25 minutes or bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes.

Serving:

1. Once cooked, gently fluff the biryani with a fork to mix the layers.
2. Serve hot with raita, salad, and pickle.

Enjoy your delicious homemade mutton biryani!