Mutton Biriyani
Mutton Biryani is a flavorful and aromatic rice dish prepared with basmati rice, tender mutton, fragrant spices, and fresh herbs. It is a popular one-pot meal enjoyed across India and is made using different cooking methods, including pressure cookers, Instant Pots, and heavy-bottomed pots for traditional dum cooking.
This recipe follows a traditional style of preparing non-vegetarian biryani, where succulent mutton is cooked with spices and layered with partially cooked aromatic rice. The addition of crispy fried onions, mint, coriander leaves, and whole spices creates the rich flavor and irresistible aroma that make biryani so special.
Ingredients
Mutton – ½ kg
Basmati rice – 3 cups (160 ml cup)
Cloves – 4
Cinnamon – 1 stick
Cardamom – 4
Green chilies – 3
Tomatoes – 2
Onions – 2 medium-sized
Ginger-garlic paste – 3 tbsp
Mutton masala powder – 2 tbsp
Red chili powder – 1 tbsp
Mint leaves – 2 handfuls
Coriander leaves – 2 handfuls
Cumin seeds (Jeera) – ¼ tsp
Bay leaves – 2
Salt – as needed
Ghee – 5 tbsp
Oil – 3 tbsp
Mace (Jathipathri) – 1 piece
Lemon juice – 2 tbsp
Saffron strands – a few (optional)
Fried onions – 1 handful
Basmati rice – 3 cups (160 ml cup)
Cloves – 4
Cinnamon – 1 stick
Cardamom – 4
Green chilies – 3
Tomatoes – 2
Onions – 2 medium-sized
Ginger-garlic paste – 3 tbsp
Mutton masala powder – 2 tbsp
Red chili powder – 1 tbsp
Mint leaves – 2 handfuls
Coriander leaves – 2 handfuls
Cumin seeds (Jeera) – ¼ tsp
Bay leaves – 2
Salt – as needed
Ghee – 5 tbsp
Oil – 3 tbsp
Mace (Jathipathri) – 1 piece
Lemon juice – 2 tbsp
Saffron strands – a few (optional)
Fried onions – 1 handful
To Cook the Rice
- Rinse the basmati rice thoroughly 2–3 times and soak it for 20–30 minutes. Meanwhile, bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a large pot.
- Once the water starts boiling, add cumin seeds, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaves, a few mint leaves, and some coriander leaves. Add the soaked and drained basmati rice and cook until it is about 70–80% done. The grains should be cooked but still firm when pressed.
- Drain the rice and set it aside for layering. The aromatic rice will continue to cook during the dum process, absorbing all the delicious flavors from the mutton masala.
- Add a spoon of ghee and a little salt to the boiling rice water for added flavor. Cook the basmati rice until it is about 80% done—when you take a grain and gently press it, it should break but still feel slightly undercooked inside.
- Once the rice reaches this stage, switch off the stove immediately and carefully drain the excess water. Set the partially cooked rice aside for layering.
To Cook the Mutton
- In a pressure cooker, add the cleaned mutton pieces along with salt, turmeric powder, and red chili powder (½ tsp). Pour in enough water to cook the meat.
- Pressure cook for about 7 whistles, or until the mutton becomes soft and tender. Once done, switch off the stove and allow the pressure to release naturally before opening the cooker.
Ginger-Garlic Paste
In a blender or grinding jar, add chopped ginger, garlic, cardamom (5), 1 cinnamon stick, and 3 cloves. Grind everything into a smooth, fine paste using a little water if needed. Transfer to a bowl and set aside for later use in the biryani.
- In a heavy-bottomed pan or non-stick vessel, heat oil along with 2 tbsp of ghee.
- Add chopped onions and sauté until they turn soft and lightly golden. Then add bay leaves, mace, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, and green chilies. Mix well and sauté for a few seconds until the spices become fragrant.
- Next, add the prepared ginger-garlic paste and cook well until the raw smell disappears and the mixture turns aromatic.
- Add chopped tomatoes and sauté for about a minute until they turn slightly soft.
- Then add a small portion of mint and coriander leaves and mix well. Reserve the remaining mint and coriander leaves to be added later during layering and finishing for extra freshness and aroma.
- Add the spice powders and mix well until the masala is evenly combined and cooked.
- Now add the cooked mutton pieces along with its stock. Pour in a spoon of lemon juice and mix everything gently so the masala coats the mutton well. Adjust salt as needed and mix once more to balance the flavors.
- Let the masala and mutton cook together for about 30 seconds so the flavors blend well.
- Then gently layer the boiled basmati rice over the mutton masala. Spread it evenly across the surface without mixing, so the rice sits as a separate layer on top of the masala.
- Add the remaining mint and coriander leaves evenly over the rice, followed by a generous handful of fried onions for extra aroma and texture.
- Drizzle 2 tbsp of ghee over the rice, spreading it lightly so it seeps through the layers.
- Soak saffron strands in 1 tbsp of warm water, mix well, and gently pour this saffron mixture over the rice.
- Cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid and let the biryani rest on low heat for about 30 seconds to allow the flavors to meld together beautifully.
- Increases the flame to high and cook for about 10 minutes so the rice absorbs the masala flavors well.
- Then reduce the flame to very low and cook for another 20 minutes (dum cooking), allowing the biryani to steam slowly and develop aroma.
- Switch off the stove and let it rest for a few minutes. Gently fluff the biryani from the sides using a fork without breaking the rice grains.
- At this stage, the mutton will be perfectly cooked, and the biryani will be flavorful, aromatic, and ready to serve.
- Finally, squeeze a piece of lemon over the biryani for a fresh, tangy flavor that enhances the aroma.
- Serve hot with sliced onions and cooling cucumber raita on the side for a perfect balance.
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