Hyderabadi Mutton Biryani

Hyderabadi Mutton (Goat) Biryani is a beloved and aromatic dish, originating from Hyderabad in South India. Known for its delicate layers of spiced meat and rice, this biryani is cooked using a traditional dum (slow-cooking) method that results in tender mutton and perfectly cooked rice. Here’s an authentic recipe that captures the flavours of a Hyderabadi kitchen.

Hyderabadi Muttom Biryani

Ingredients:

For the Mutton (Goat) Marinade:

• 500g cubed goat/mutton meat (bone-in)

• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt

• Juice of 1 medium lemon

• 2 tbsp freshly grated ginger

• 2 tbsp freshly grated garlic

• 2 tsp red chili powder

• 1 tsp cumin powder

• 1 tsp coriander powder

• 1/2 garam masala powder

• 1/2 tsp ground pepper

• 1 tsp salt, to taste

For the Rice:

• 2 cups basmati rice

• 5-6 cups water

• 2 bay leaves

• 5 green cardamom pods

• 4 black cardamom

• 4 cloves

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 2 star anise

• 6 black pepper corns

• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds

• Salt, to taste

For the Biryani:

• 2 large onions, thinly sliced

• 2 tbsp ghee

• 2 tbsp oil

• 2 tsp ginger

• 2 tsp garlic

• 2 green chilies

• 1 cup mint leaves (finely chopped)

• 1 cup cilantro leaves (finely chopped)

• 1/4 tsp saffron

• 1/4 cup warm milk (for saffron)

• 6-12 fried shallots (finely sliced, for garnish)

• 1 tsp rose water (optional, for fragrance)
  

Instructions:

1. Marinate the Mutton:

• In a large bowl, mix together the yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric, garam masala, lemon juice, and salt.

• Add the mutton pieces, ensuring they are well-coated with the marinade.

• Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

2. Parboil the Rice:

• Wash the basmati rice thoroughly until the water runs clear.

• In a large pot, bring 5-6 cups of water to a boil. Add bay leaves, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick, cumin seeds, blackpeppercorns.

• Add the rice to the boiling water with salt. Cook the rice until it’s 60% done, around 5 minutes.

• Drain the rice, spread the rice in a single layer on a tray so it do not continue to steam and cook and set aside.

3. Fry the Onions:

• In a heavy-bottomed pan, heat oil over medium heat. Fry the sliced onions until golden brown and crispy. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels. Set aside.

4. Prepare the Mutton:

• In the same pan, heat 2 tablespoons of avocado oil or ghee and add the marinated mutton to the pan and cook over medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes, allowing it to sear and brown slightly.

• Once the mutton is seared, reduce the heat, cover, and cook the mutton for 20-30 minutes, until it’s tender. Add a little water if the mutton starts to stick or burn.

5. Layer the Biryani:

• In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, begin layering the biryani.

  1. In a small bowl, add warm milk and saffron, set aside.

  2. In a heavy-bottomed pot or dutch oven spread 1/3 of the cooked mutton mixture in the bottom and almost all the gravy.

  3. Then, layer 1/3 of the cooked rice over the mutton.

  4. Add 1/3 fried onions

  5. Add 1/3 mint and cilantro leaves

  6. Repeat - mutton, rice, fried onions, herbs.

  7. Drizzle saffron/milk over the top layer of rice.

  8. Add ghee to the top layer of the biryani as well.

6. Cook the Biryani on Dum (Slow Cooking):

• Cover the pot with a tight fitting lid to prevent steam from escaping.

• Place the pot on the stove top on low heat or cook it in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 1 hour. This slow-cooking method allows the flavours to meld and the rice to absorb the aroma from the meat.

7. Serve:

• Gently fluff the biryani, being careful not to break the rice.

• Garnish with fried shallots, additional mint, cilantro and ghee.

• Serve with raita (yogurt with cucumber and mint, recipe below)

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Cucumber and Mint Raita

Ingredients:

• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt

• 1/2 cucumber (finely grated)

• 1/2 tsp lemon juice

• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped

• 1/4 tsp salt

• A pinch of ground black pepper

• A splash of spring water

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Cucumber: Grate or finely chop the cucumber. If using grated cucumber, you can lightly squeeze out excess water

2. Mix: In a bowl, whisk the yogurt until smooth and creamy. Add the cucumber, lemon, chopped mint, r, salt, salt, black pepper and splash of water to thin out the raita.

3. Serve: Chill for a few minutes before serving, or enjoy it right away with your biryani.