Mutton Biryani – Hyderabadi Style
Recipe Summary
- This recipe guides you through making a flavorful Hyderabadi Mutton Biryani. It involves marinating mutton with a rich blend of spices, cooking it until tender, and then layering it with partially cooked basmati rice for a fragrant dum-style finish.
All Ingredients - For Mutton Marinade
- Mutton 1 kg
- Salt 2 tablespoons
- Ginger garlic paste 3 tablespoons
- Turmeric powder 1 teaspoon
- Chilli powder 2 tablespoons
- Coriander powder 2 tablespoons
- Green chilli paste 3 tablespoons
- Cardamom (Elachi) 10-12 pods
- Caraway seeds (Shahijeera) 1 tablespoon
- Cloves 8-10
- Cinnamon sticks 2-3 small pieces
- Black peppercorns 1 teaspoon
- Bay leaves 2-3 leaves
- Stone flower (Dagad Phool) 1 small handful
- Star anise 1-2
- Fresh turmeric piece 1 small piece
- Coriander leaves 1 large handful, chopped
- Mint leaves 1 large handful, chopped
- Fried onions 1 large handful
- Oil 200 ml
- Curd 200 grams
- Warm water 200-300 ml
All Ingredients - For Rice
- Basmati Rice 1 kg
- Salt 2 tablespoons
- Oil 2 tablespoons
- Whole spices (Cardamom, Caraway seeds, Cinnamon, Cloves, Bay leaves, Star anise, Stone flower) 1 small bowl
- Mint leaves 1 small handful
- Coriander leaves 1 small handful
- Caraway seeds (Shahijeera) for topping 1 teaspoon
- Fried onions for topping 1 small handful
- Ghee for topping 2 tablespoons
Tools You'll Need
- Pot
- Bowl
- Mixing bowl
Don't have an ingredient? Try these swaps
No Garlic (fresh)?
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder (per clove)
- 1/2 tsp garlic granules (per clove)
No Bay leaf?
- 1/4 tsp dried thyme (per leaf)
- Pinch of dried oregano
No Cilantro?
- Flat-leaf parsley (1:1, milder)
- Fresh mint (in chutneys, salads)
No Onion?
- 1 tbsp onion powder (per medium onion)
- 3 tbsp dried minced onion
- Shallots or leeks (1:1)
No Yogurt?
- Sour cream (1:1)
- Buttermilk (1:1, slightly thinner result)
No Ghee?
- Unsalted butter (1:1)
- Neutral oil (1:1, lacks the toasted note)
⚠ Contains Allergens
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Marinate Mutton
In a large pot, combine 1 kg mutton, 2 tablespoons salt, 3 tablespoons ginger garlic paste, 1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 2 tablespoons chilli powder, 2 tablespoons coriander powder, 3 tablespoons green chilli paste. Grind 10-12 cardamom pods and 1 tablespoon caraway seeds, then add to the mutton. Separately, grind 8-10 cloves, 2-3 small pieces of cinnamon, 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, 2-3 bay leaves, 1 small handful of stone flower, 1-2 star anise, and 1 small piece of fresh turmeric, then add these ground spices to the mutton. Finally, add 1 large handful each of chopped coriander and mint leaves, and a large handful of fried onions. Mix all ingredients thoroughly to coat the mutton.
Step 2: Add Liquids to Mutton
Pour 200 ml oil and 200 grams curd into the marinated mutton. Mix well until fully incorporated. Add 200-300 ml warm water and mix again.
Step 3: Cook Mutton
Place the pot with the marinated mutton on the stove. Cook the mutton for until it is tender and the gravy has thickened, stirring occasionally.
Step 4: Prepare Rice for Soaking
In a separate bowl, add 1 kg basmati rice and cover it with water. Let the rice soak for at least .
Step 5: Boil Water for Rice
In another pot, add water, 2 tablespoons salt, 2 tablespoons oil, 1 small bowl of whole spices (cardamom, caraway seeds, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaves, star anise, stone flower), 1 small handful of mint leaves, and 1 small handful of coriander leaves. Bring the water to a rolling boil.
Step 6: Cook Rice
Add the soaked basmati rice to the boiling water. Cook the rice until it is 70% done. You can check by pressing a grain between your fingers; it should be soft but still have a slight bite.
Step 7: Layer Biryani
Carefully drain the partially cooked rice and layer it evenly over the cooked mutton in the pot.
Step 8: Add Toppings
Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of caraway seeds and a small handful of fried onions over the layered rice. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of ghee on top.
Step 9: Dum Cooking
Cover the pot tightly with a clean cloth and a lid, placing a heavy object (like a mortar) on top to create a tight seal. Cook on high flame for , then reduce the flame to medium and cook for another . This 'dum' process allows the flavors to meld and the rice to cook perfectly.
Step 10: Serve Biryani
After the dum cooking, carefully open the lid. Gently mix the biryani from bottom to top to combine the rice and mutton gravy. Serve the hot Mutton Biryani on a plate.
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