Lucknow Special Mutton Biryani

Step 1: Prepare Onions and Tomatoes

Slice 7 medium-sized onions thinly and 5 medium-sized tomatoes. Ensure onions are sliced very thin for even browning.

Step 2: Wash and Soak Rice

Pour 1kg Basmati rice into a bowl, wash 2-3 times until clean water runs through, and soak for at least 1 hour.

Step 3: Heat Oil and Ghee

In a large pot, add approximately 1 bowl (150-200ml) of cooking oil and 2 tablespoons of ghee. Heat until shimmering.

Step 4: Fry Onions

Add the thinly sliced onions to the hot oil and ghee. Fry for 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently, until they turn golden brown.

Step 5: Add Whole Spices

Once onions are golden, add 3 green cardamoms, 4 cloves, 1 piece of mace, 1 cinnamon stick, and 1 bay leaf. Fry for a minute until fragrant.

Step 6: Brown Mutton

Add 500g mutton (with fat) to the pot. Fry the mutton with the onions and whole spices for several minutes until it changes color and is well seared. This step is crucial for tender mutton and good taste.

Step 7: Add Powdered Spices

Add 2 tablespoons of coriander powder, 1 tablespoon of cumin powder, 1 tablespoon of red chili powder (adjust to your spice preference), and 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder. Mix well and fry until the raw smell of spices disappears and the oil starts to separate.

Step 8: Incorporate Ginger-Garlic Paste

Add 1 tablespoon of ginger-garlic paste. Continue frying for 5 minutes until the paste is cooked and its raw aroma is gone.

Step 9: Add Tomatoes

Add the sliced tomatoes to the pot. Fry for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes soften and blend into the gravy, releasing their juices.

Step 10: Stir in Yogurt

Add 1 small bowl (100-150g) of yogurt. Mix continuously on a low flame to prevent the yogurt from curdling.

Step 11: Add Water and Salt

Pour in 1 glass of water and add 2 tablespoons of salt (adjust to taste). Mix thoroughly.

Step 12: Cook Mutton Gravy

Cover the pot and let the mutton cook on medium flame for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mutton is 80-90% tender and the gravy thickens.

Step 13: Prepare Khushboo Masala

In a grinder, combine 5-6 green cardamoms, 1 piece of nutmeg, and a little mace. Grind coarsely to make the fragrant Khushboo Masala.

Step 14: Add Herbs to Gravy

Once the mutton is almost cooked, add chopped coriander and mint leaves to the gravy. Mix well.

Step 15: Prepare Rice Boiling Water

In a separate large pot, add plenty of water. Add 4-5 large tablespoons of salt (the water should taste salty like seawater), 2 lemon slices, chopped coriander, chopped mint, and 2 tablespoons of ghee.

Step 16: Add Yellow Food Color to Water

Add a few drops of liquid yellow food color to the rice water. Stir and bring the water to a rolling boil.

Step 17: Finish Mutton Gravy

Add half of the prepared Khushboo Masala and 1 tablespoon of garam masala to the mutton gravy. Mix well. The mutton gravy is now ready.

Step 18: Reserve Roghan

Scoop out some of the oil (roghan) from the top of the mutton gravy and set aside. This will be used for layering to keep the rice moist and flavorful.

Step 19: Boil Rice

Once the rice water is boiling, add the soaked Basmati rice. Cook the rice until it is 60-70% done. The grains should be elongated but still firm.

Step 20: Prepare for Dum

Place the pot with the mutton gravy on a tawa (griddle) over high flame to prepare for dum cooking.

Step 21: Add Meetha Attar

Add 1-2 drops of Meetha Attar (sweet essence) to the mutton gravy for a fragrant aroma.

Step 22: Prepare Saffron Milk

In a small bowl, mix a few saffron strands with 1-2 tablespoons of milk and the remaining Khushboo Masala. This will be drizzled over the rice.

Step 23: Layer Biryani (First Layer)

Carefully drain half of the partially cooked rice and layer it evenly over the mutton gravy in the pot.

Step 24: Layer Biryani (Second Layer)

After a 5-minute gap, layer the remaining rice over the first layer.

Step 25: Add Roghan and Colors

Drizzle the reserved roghan over the rice. Add a few drops of liquid red food color in different spots for visual appeal.

Step 26: Add Saffron Milk

Pour the saffron milk mixture evenly over the rice layers.

Step 27: Dum Cooking

Cover the pot tightly with a clean cloth and then a lid. Place a heavy object (like a mortar pestle) on top of the lid to create a tight seal. Cook on high flame for 5 minutes, then reduce to low flame and cook for another 20 minutes for dum.

Step 28: Serve Biryani

After 25 minutes of dum, turn off the flame and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. Gently mix the biryani from the bottom up to combine the layers and flavors. Serve hot.

• Slice onions thinly for even browning.

• Fry mutton well for better flavor and tenderness.

• Don't skimp on salt in the rice water; it should be salty like seawater.

• Mix yogurt quickly on low flame to prevent curdling.

• Use a heavy object on the lid for effective dum cooking.

• Adjust red chili powder for desired spice level.

• Add biryani masala if preferred.

• Skip food colors if desired.