Mutton Biryani

Mutton Biryani!

I am from Dindugal. Birth place of the famous Thalapakatti biryani. So the affinity towards biryani runs in the family. Give me biryani for all the meals- breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner and mid night snack and I won’t complain. I will only ask for more 😋 According to my elder one Tharu, when you say biryani, it has to have piece (chicken or mutton). If it has only peas (or other veggies), then it simply cannot be called biryani. The only name it can have, according to her, is pulao . The perfect biryani is made of jeera rice. From where I come from, basmati rice biryani is just nonexistent. Making biryani out of jeera rice is a subtle art. But the end product is totally worth it.

The mutton pieces are juicy and succulent. The flavor is completely absorbed by the pieces. The rice is perfectly cooked and evenly coated with the masala. Mutton biryani, mutton gravy and raitha and my dream meal is good to eat. Happy weekend!

Preparation time: 15 minutes| Cooking time: 25 to 30 minutes
Course: Main| Cuisine: South Indian

Ingredients:

Mutton- ½ kg

Jeera samba rice- 2 cups

Onion- 3(large, finely chopped)

Tomato-2 (medium, finely chopped)

Green chilies-3 (slit lengthwise)

Ginger garlic paste- 3 to 4 tblsp

Curd- ¼ cup

Chili powder- 1 to 2 tsp

Turmeric powder- ¼ tsp

Mint leaves- ½ cup

 Coriander leaves- ¼ cup

Salt- to taste

To temper:

Oil- 3 to 4 tblsp

Ghee- 2 tblsp

Cinnamon sticks- 3 to 4

Cloves- 6 to 7

Elachi-2

Star anise-1

Bay leaves- 2 to 3

Method:

1.       Soak the jeera samba rice in water for 15 to 20 minutes.

2.       Heat oil and ghee together in a pressure cooker. Add cinnamon, cloves, star anise, cardamom and bay leaves.

3.       When it splutters add finely chopped onion and slit green chillies. Saute well. The colour of the biryani depends on the colour of the onion. So saute the onion accordingly.

4.       Then add ginger garlic paste and stir well. Fry until raw smell leaves.

5.       Now add chili powder and turmeric powder. Stir for 2 to 3 minutes until raw smell leaves.

6.       Then add curd and give everything a mix. Let it boil for a minute.

7.       Add the cleaned mutton pieces. Stir well so that the masala coats well on the mutton pieces.

8.       Then add tomato and salt. Stir everything together.

9.       Add 1 cup water and pressure cook the mutton for 7 to 8 whistles.

10.   Once the pressure releases, remove the excess water (stock) from the mutton masala and keep it aside for further use

11.   Add the soaked rice (after draining the water used for soaking).

12.   Saute it gently so that the masala coats on the rice. Make sure you don’t break the rice.

13.   Now time to add water. Need to add 3 1/2 cups of water for two cups of rice. This water measurement includes the excess stock removed from the mutton masala.

14.   After adding water, stir gently and check for spice and salt. Add accordingly.

15.   Then finally add mint leaves and coriander leaves. Stir again gently.

16.   Close the cooker and once the steam starts coming out, put the weight and immediately turn it to very low flame. Cook in very low flame for 10 minutes exact. Then switch off the flame.

17.   Once the pressure releases, open the lid of the cooker and leave it for 5 minutes. Then fluff it with a fork without breaking the rice.

18.   Serve it hot with mutton gravy and raita.

Notes:

·       I have used jeera samba rice for making this biryani. You can also use basmati rice. But I would suggest you to go for jeera samba only.

·       Don’t forget to soak the rice, before using it in the recipe.

·       Rice will be soft after soaking. So while stirring the rice, do it gently.

·       The same recipe can be used for chicken biryani also. cooking time for chicken is lesser than mutton. cook only for 3 whistles for chicken.

·       You can increase the quantity of chili powder to suit your taste.

Step by step pictures

 wash and soak rice in water

 for 15 to 20 minutes

 heat oil and ghee in a pressure cooker

 add all the whole spices 

given in temper section

  when it splutters add onion

 and slit green chilies

fry well until the colour 

changes to brown

 add ginger garlic paste

fry until raw smell leaves

 add chili powder and turmeric powder

fry well 

add curd and give it a stir

boil it for a minute

 add the mutton pieces

stir well so that the masala

 coats well on mutton

add tomato and salt

]give it a stir

 add 1 cup water.

close the lid and pressure cook 

for 7 to 8 whistles

after pressure releases remove 

excess stock from the mutton masala

 and keep it aside for further use

 add the rice.

 give a gentle stir so that masala 

coats well on rice. 

take care not to break the rice

add approprite water as mentioned 

in method section. don't forget to include

 the excess stock removed from mutton masala

to the water quantity. Add mint and coriander leaves.

close the lid and when the steam 

starts coming out,put on the weight

and immediately turn to low flame

cook in low flame for exactly ten minutes.

switch off flame. after the pressure releases

open the lid and leave it for 5 minutes

later fluff it with a fork without breaking the rice.

Serve it like this 👇