Mutton Biryani
مٹن بریانی
Mutton biryani is the grander, slower cousin of chicken biryani. The meat needs time to become tender, so the masala cooks for longer, and that long cooking gives it a deeper flavour that soaks into the rice during . The method is the same as any Pakistani biryani: a fully cooked, slightly over-salted meat masala, rice boiled to in well-salted water, careful layering and a tight seal. Get those right and the pot does the rest.
- ⏱ Total: 2 hr 30 min
- Prep: 30 min
- Cook: 2 hr
- Hard
- Serves 6
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Heat the oil in a large, heavy and fry the onions over medium heat for 15 minutes until deep golden brown. Lift out half for layering: this is the .
Add the mutton with the ginger and garlic paste and fry on high heat for 10 minutes, turning, until the meat is browned.
Add the tomatoes, chili powder, turmeric, coriander and salt and do the until the tomatoes melt. Stir in the yogurt and fry for another 5 minutes until the oil separates.
Add the hot water, cover and cook on low heat for 60–75 minutes, until the mutton is tender. Then uncover and cook until the masala is thick, with the oil on top. Add the plums, garam masala, green chilies and half the mint and coriander.
Meanwhile, bring a large of water to a rolling boil with the 3 tablespoons of salt, bay leaves, cardamom, cloves and cumin. Add the drained rice and boil for 6–8 minutes.
Drain the rice as soon as it reaches : it should break easily between your fingers but still have a small hard white core.
Layer the biryani: spread half the rice over the mutton, scatter over half the birista and the rest of the mint and coriander, then add the remaining rice. Drizzle over the saffron milk, and top with lemon slices and the rest of the birista.
Seal the pot for with foil or a strip of dough under the lid and cook on the lowest heat for 20 minutes, with a tawa under the pot.
Rest for 5 minutes, then mix gently from the edges with a flat spoon and serve with raita.
Kitchen notes
The masala should taste a little too salty and a little too spicy before layering. The plain rice will balance it.
Make sure the meat is completely tender before layering. It won't soften much more on dum.
To save time, cook the mutton in a pressure cooker for 20 minutes after the bhunai, then reduce the masala in the degchi.
The celebration biryani
Mutton biryani is the one many Pakistani families make for Eid ul Adha, weddings and Sunday lunches with the whole family. It takes longer than chicken biryani, but most of that time is the meat simmering quietly on low heat while you get on with other things.
The three things that matter
A fully cooked masala. The mutton is browned, then cooked through with tomatoes, yogurt and spices, and then simmered until tender. Before layering, the masala should be thick, with oil on top, and taste slightly over-seasoned, because the plain rice will absorb some of that salt and spice.
Rice at the right moment. Boil the soaked basmati in plenty of water that tastes salty, and drain it at , when a grain breaks easily but still has a tiny white core. It finishes cooking in the steam of the meat during . Cooked too far, it turns mushy; too little, and it stays hard.
A tight seal. Dum works only if the steam stays in the pot. Use foil or a rope of dough under the lid, and a tawa under the pot to spread the heat.
Aloo bukhara and lemon
Dried plums and lemon slices add the tang that Pakistani biryani is known for. Leave them out if you prefer a milder, sweeter biryani.
Serving
Serve with kheera raita, kachumber salad and, for a celebration, a pot of mutton qorma alongside.
Questions people ask
Why is my mutton tough in the biryani?
It wasn't cooked long enough before layering, or the meat was from an older animal. Always check that a piece comes off the bone easily before you add the rice.
Can I use beef?
Yes. Beef biryani is made the same way; allow 90 minutes or more for the meat to become tender.
How much rice per kilo of meat?
For mutton biryani, 2.5 to 3 cups of uncooked basmati per kilo of meat on the bone is a good balance.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 640
- Protein
- 32 g
- Fat
- 28 g
- Carbs
- 66 g
