Hyderabadi Mutton Biriyani – Pakki Style

Ingredients (Serves 5 – 6)

1. Mutton – 1 kg, cubed

2. Refined oil –  1/2 cup

3. Onion – 2.5 cups, thinly sliced

4. Whole spices – cardamom – 4, bay leaf – 2, cinnamon stick – 1 inch broken, star anise – 1 , cloves – 5, shah jeera – 1/2 tsp

Ginger and garlic paste – 2.5 tbsp

Green chilies – 8 – 10, ground to a paste or coarsely crushed in the small jar of a blender / mortar and pestle

5. Turmeric powder – 1/2 tsp

Chilly powder or good quality kashmiri chilly powder –  1.5 tsp

Coriander powder – 1 tsp

Cumin powder – 1 tsp

Garam masala powder – 1 – 2 tsp (recipe below)

6. Yoghurt – 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp

7. Hot water – 1/2 cup

8. Chopped cilantro – 2 – 3 tbsp

Mint leaves – 2 tbsp, chopped

9. Salt – To taste

For the rice

10. Basmati rice – 2.5 cups, soaked in enough water for at least 30 minutes and then drained

Whole spices – bay leaf – 2, cloves – 6, green cardamom – 3, black cardamom – 1, cinnamon stick – 1 inch broken, kala jeera – 1/4 tsp

Ghee – 2 – 3 tsp

Salt – To taste

To layer

11. Fried onion – 1/3 cup

Saffron – 1 pinch soaked in 2 tbsp hot water to which 1 tsp kewra water is also added

Chopped mint and cilantro – 2 tbsp

Garam masala powder – 1 – 2 pinches

Ghee – 1 – 2 tbsp

Method

1. Heat 1/2 cup oil in  a large pan. Add 1/2 cup onion and fry till golden brown. Remove to a plate lined with paper towel. Set aside 1/3 cup fried onion for garnishing.

2. To the remaining oil, add onion, little salt and fry until golden. Remove to a paper towel. Add whole spices numbered 4 and ginger-garlic paste. Cook for a minute. Add mutton pieces and mix well. Cook for a minute. Add ground green chilies and mix well. Cook for a few minutes over medium-high heat. Add turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, garam masala powder and yoghurt. Mix well and cook for 3 – 4 minutes until oil starts separating. Add fried onion (set aside 1/3 cup fried onion to garnish) and 2 tbsp chopped mint and cilantro. Now add 1/2 cup hot water and mix well.  Cover and cook until mutton is soft and completely cooked through. Transfer this to a pressure cooker and cook for 4 – 5 whistles or until mutton turns soft.

 

3. Boil  water in a large vessel adding the remaining ingredients numbered 10. Taste-check for salt. The water should be slightly salty. Add soaked and drained rice and cook until the rice is 75 – 80 % cooked. Drain well.

4. In a heavy-bottomed vessel or oven-proof vessel  smear 2 tsp ghee and spread half of the mutton at the bottom. Top it with half of the hot cooked rice. Sprinkle fried onion and chopped mint and cilantro. Spread the remaining mutton on top along with any gravy, followed by the remaining rice. Top with fried onion, saffron water, garam masala powder and ghee. Cover tightly with an aluminium foil. Bake at 400 F for 10 minutes. OR Heat a wide tawa over high heat for a few minutes. Once hot, bring down the heat to low. Place the biriyani pot and cook for 7 – 8 minutes. Switch off. Let it rest unopened for another 10 – 15 minutes in the biriyani pot. YummyHyderabadi mutton biriyani is ready to enjoy! Serve hot with  green chutney / kachumber salad/ onion rings/ lime wedges/ boiled egg/ mirchi ka salan etc.

Garam masala powder recipe

1. Cumin seeds – 2 tbsp
2. Black pepper – 1 tsp
3. Cloves – 8 – 10
4. Black cardamom – 1
5. Green cardamom – 4 – 5
6. Cinnamon stick –  1/2 inch
7. Javithri / mace – A tiny piece
8. Nutmeg – 1/8th of one nutmeg

Grind the above ingredients to a fine powder. You need only 1.5 – 2 tsp for this recipe. Store the remaining in an air-tight container to use later.