Straight from the land of Nizams, Hyderabadi Mutton Biryani or Kacche Gosht ki Biryani is a regal dish that does not need any special mention or patronage. Though many prefer eating it with raita, salad; the original “zayka” of this mutton biryani lies in savouring every nibble of it as it is. Here is how to make Mutton Biryani Recipe in true Hyderabadi style.
As much as I am influenced by Lucknow, I equally feel stunned by the culinary options Hyderabad offers its populace and the tourists, of course. The very air of this royal city is trenched with the legacy of Mughlai, Turkish, Arabic, Telugu and Marathwada cuisines and you cannot shrug off the amalgamation of their culinary charisma that easily, can you?
With my impromptu trip to Hyderabad twice, I tried Badam ka Hareera, Hyderabadi Mirchi ka Salan, Hyderabadi Khatti Dal, Hyderabadi Bagara Baingan, Hyderabadi Sheer Kurma and my senses were flooded with euphoria. All those dishes were made to the T and were nothing but scrumptious.
Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani and Hyderabadi Vegetable Dum Biryani are equally decadent, but nothing beats Hyderabadi Mutton Biryani ever as traditionally called, kacche gosht ki biryani. Prepared with passion for the culinary legacy of the Nizams, this mutton rice recipe is made with the choicest basmati rice, fried onions, marinated mutton and more.
How to prepare Mutton Biryani?
Having loved eating Hyderabadi Mutton Biryani, I had to try it at home by slow cooking it to perfection. Whenever you make biryani, you need to understand that it is different than making the usual cooked rice or Pulao.
Think of any recipes of biryani and you would realize that it is made in stages such as cooking rice, marinating mutton (or any other main ingredient as per the variation) and then finally assembling the two in a heavy bottom pan. The preparation of Hyderabad Biryani follows the same route.
Rice cooked on one side with cinnamon, cloves and mutton marinated in the paste of raw papaya, spices (garam masala, cumin powder, coriander powder, ginger garlic paste, green chillies) ready as well, you finally need to mix the mutton batch with curd, mint leaves, fried onions and you are then set for assembling.
Spread the first layer of mutton in a heavy bottom pan, top it with half cooked rice and repeat layers accordingly and then gently add 1/2 cup milk, saffron soaked in water , golden brown onion and ghee on top. Close the lid and let it cook – do not compromise on this, let it take its time because this is the secret of making the yummiest biryani of the world.
After 40-45 minutes, you would get a chance to drool and devour over a mind-blowing plateful of this one of its kind biryani and I wouldn’t want you to resist at all. On that note, read my recipe, what say?
Tips to make best Mutton Dum Biryani
Use best quality rice to make biryani.
The mutton must be marinated before hand. Since we are not cooking it separately, marinating it beforehand will make it tender and easy to cook.
Use a heavy bottom pan to assemble the biryani. The biryani needs to be cooked for 40-45 minutes on low heat and if the pan is not heavy, it might burn.
The traditional potli masala used to make biryani recipe has many unusual ingredients, but since it is not easy to source them, I have a mix which is easy to find the not compromise on taste.
You can check the recipe to make golden fried onion here.
Be very attentive while cooking the rice. Do not stir the rice much while cooking otherwise it will break the grains.
Choose a pan with a tight fitting lid. This biryani cooks on dum or steam and we want to retain as much steam that is formed inside. Traditionally, a sealing of dough used to be put around the pan and the lid but I don’t think that it is required if the lid fits tightly.
How to choose rice to make best Mutton Dum Biryani Recipe?
Both the taste and visual appeal of Biryani should stand out in its preparation. Now while this recipe takes care of the taste, the visual appeal comes only through rice grains. Longer the grain, better would be the biryani. I always choose the rice which is extra long and stands out as individual grains.
This gives the visual appeal of a blooming flower and makes eating biryani an enjoyable experience. Hence Basmati rice is the best choice to make Biryani, it stands out individually, without forming lumps while cooking.
In the market, you now even get specially selected long grain Basmati Rice, which is perfect for this Biryani.
The age of the rice is also very crucial to make good biryani. Choose the rice grain which is at least 1 year old. The older the rice, the better it is.
How to make Mutton Biryani in rice cooker?
To make Biryani in rice cooker, treat it exactly similar to the pan and follow the same steps. Rice cooker traps a lot of steam and that will help to cook the mutton through.
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How to make Mutton Biryani Step by Step
Wash the rice and soak in water for 40-45 minutes.
Tie whole spices in a cloth piece to make a potli.
Mix mutton with raw papaya paste, ginger paste, garlic paste, garam masala powder, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt, vegetable oil, green chilli and lemon juice and marinate for 10-12 hours.
Add Curd, Mint, coriander and golden fried onion in the marinated mutton and mix well.
Heat water in a large pot. Add potli masala, salt and shahi zeera in the pot and bring the water to a boil.
Drain the rice and add it in the boiling water.
Transfer the mutton along with the marinade in a heavy bottom pan.
Once the rice gets 20% cooked, take out half of the rice and top it over the mutton.
Once the remaining rice is cooked to 80 %, take it out and top it over the 20% cooked rice.
Sprinkle 1/2 cup milk, saffron soaked in water , golden brown onion and ghee on top.
Cover the pan tightly with a lid. Place the pan on a very slow heat for 50-55 minutes. Remove the lid and mix the biryani gently. Serve hot.
Mutton Biryani Video Recipe
Hyderabadi Mutton Biryani Recipe
Hyderabadi Mutton Biryani
Straight from the land of Nizams, Hyderabadi Mutton Biryani is a regal dish that does not need any special mention or patronage. Though many prefer eating it raita, salad; the original "zayka" of this mutton biryani lies in savouring every nibble of it as it is.
Ingredients
For the rice
- 2 cups Fortune Long Grain Biryani Basmati Rice
- 10 g Potli Masala Check Notes
- 1 tsp Shahi Zeera
- 2 tsp Salt
For the Mutton
- 750 g Mutton Cut into small pieces
- 4 tbsp Raw Papaya Paste
- 2 tsp Ginger paste
- 2 tsp Garlic Paste
- 1/2 tsp Garam Masala Powder
- 2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
- 1 tsp Turmeric Powder
- 2 tsp Salt
- 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
- 4 tsp Green Chilli Crushed
- 2 tbsp Lemon Juice
- 200 g Curd
- 2 tbsp Mint Chopped
- 2 tbsp Coriander Chopped
- 1/4 cup Golden Fried Onion
For assembling the biryani
- 1/2 cup Milk
- 1 pinch Saffron
- 1/2 cup Golden Fried Onion
- 2 tbsp Ghee
Instructions
For the rice
Wash the rice and soak in water for 40-45 minutes.
Heat water in a large pot.
Add potli masala, salt and shahi zeera in the pot and bring the water to a boil.
Drain the rice and add it in the boiling water.
For the Mutton
Mix mutton with raw papaya paste, ginger paste, garlic paste, garam masala powder, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt, vegetable oil, green chilli and lemon juice and marinate for 10-12 hours.
Add Curd, Mint, coriander and golden fried onion in the marinated mutton and mix well.
Assembling the biryani
Transfer the mutton along with the marinade in a heavy bottom pan.
Once the rice gets 20% cooked, take out half of the rice and top it over the mutton.
Once the remaining rice is cooked to 80 %, take it out and top it over the 20% cooked rice.
Sprinkle 1/2 cup milk, saffron soaked in water , golden brown onion and ghee on top.
Cover the pan tightly with a lid.
Place the pan on a very slow heat for 50-55 minutes.
Remove the lid and mix the biryani gently.
Serve hot.
Recipe Notes
To make potli masala, tie 2 g green cardamom, 2 g cloves, 2 g bay leaves, 2 g cinnamon and 2 g star anise in a small cloth piece.
Learn how to make perfect golden fried onions here.
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I used this recipe however additionally sauteed diced red and green peppers with a diced red onion along with the flavors together with the additional ingredients was really yummy. Thank you
Thnx for trying 🙂