Mutton Biryani

The Method for Mutton Biryani

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1. Mix the mutton with the yoghurt, ginger and garlic paste, chilli, turmeric, garam masala and salt. Cover and leave in the fridge for 1 hour.

   Mark done Start 1 hr timer

2. Heat the ghee in a large heavy pot and fry the onions for 15 minutes until deep brown. Take out half and set aside.

   Mark done Start 15 min timer

3. Add the mutton and marinade to the pot. Cover and cook over a low heat for 60 minutes, until the mutton is tender and the sauce is thick.

   Mark done Start 60 min timer

4. Meanwhile, soak the rice in cold water for 30 minutes, then drain. Boil in plenty of salted water with the whole spices for 5 minutes, until 70 per cent cooked. Drain.

   Mark done Start 30 min timer

5. Soak the saffron in the hot milk. Spread the rice over the mutton, then scatter with the reserved onions, mint and coriander. Drizzle over the saffron milk.

   Mark done

6. Cover with foil and a tight lid. Cook over the lowest heat for 25 minutes. Rest for 10 minutes before serving.

   Mark done Start 25 min timer

Related guides: Prep, cook and total time · Choosing rice.

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What Can Go Wrong

1. Use a heavy pot, or put a tawa under the pot, to stop the base catching.
2. Do not stir the layers; spoon from the side down to the bottom.
3. Check the rice is nearly done before draining: a grain should snap rather than crush.

Swaps and Variations

• If you only have ground ginger, a quarter-teaspoon for each tablespoon of fresh is the ratio usually given; it tastes warmer and less bright than the fresh root.
• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the stand-in usually given when you are out of fresh garlic; it will not brown the same way, and it burns easily, so add it with the liquid.

The Short Version

Why does biryani take so long? Because it is two dishes cooked separately and then finished together: a spiced meat curry and a pot of rice cooked just short of done, brought together by steam.

The mutton comes first. Marinate it in yoghurt and spices for an hour, then cook it until tender in its own juices. Goat is traditional, and mature lamb or hogget is the nearest alternative. Whichever you use, the meat should be soft but not falling apart, since it still has time in the oven.

The rice is par-boiled in salted water with whole spices until it is 70 per cent cooked. Drain it while it still has a firm bite in the middle. It will finish cooking in steam, and overcooked rice turns to paste.

Then layer: meat, rice, fried onion, mint, saffron milk. Seal the pot with foil and a tight lid, and cook on the lowest heat for 25 minutes. Rest, then dig down to the bottom so every portion has all the layers.

To Go With It

Cucumber raita · Mirchi ka salan · Sliced onion with lemon · Boiled eggs

Sides from the same cuisine on this site: Idiyappam, Lachha Paratha, Makki di Roti.

Storing Leftovers

Keeps in the fridge for 2 days. Reheat with a splash of water in a covered pan.

Common Questions

The Numbers per Serving

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central figures (SR Legacy). A calculation, not a laboratory analysis: brands, cuts and how you measure change the real numbers. How the figures are worked out.

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