Mutton biryani is made with mutton and basmati rice combined with a variety of whole spices, powdered spices, saffron, yogurt, along with other ingredients. There are different stages to cook mutton biryani. Go through my recipe to learn the different steps for the respective stages of making mutton biryani at home.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Mutton biryani is one of the most popular and tasty dishes.
- Serve it with chicken chaap, mutton chaap, salad, or raita.
- Mutton biryani tastes creamy, spicy and earthy.
- Other similar biryani recipes are chicken dum biryani, egg biryani, plain chicken biryani, Hyderabadi chicken biryani, and keema biryani.
The Ingredients:
- 1 kg basmati rice (pre-soaked for 30 minutes)
- 4 liter boiling water
- 1 stick cinnamon (inch size)
- 2 pieces bay leaves
- 1 piece star anise
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
- ½ cup hot milk
- ¼ tsp saffron
- ½ tsp turmeric powder (or a few drops of yellow food color)
- 1 tsp kewra water
- 2 tbsp clarified butter (ghee)
To cook the mutton:
- 1 kg mutton (cut in large chunks)
- ½ tsp black cumin seeds
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 4 pods green cardamom
- 1 piece star anise
- 2 sticks cinnamon (inch size)
- 1 piece black cardamom
- 2 pieces bay leaves
- 2 pieces onions (medium sized, sliced finely)
- 4 pieces green chilies (whole)
- 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin seeds powder
- 1 tsp coriander seeds powder
- 1 tsp garam masala powder
- 1.5 tsp salt
- ½ cup whisked yogurt
- Coriander leaves – a fistful (finely chopped)
- 1 cup water
To make the beresta:
- 1 cup cooking oil
- 2 pieces onions (medium sized, finely sliced)
- 1 tsp garam masala powder
- ¼ cup chopped mint leaves
- ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves
I discovered this biryani recipe through my younger son’s storytelling competition. One of the mothers handed me a sample of this dish as part of the refreshment counter. I was so impressed by the fact that this recipe did not need any common ready made biryani masala that you get in the market. I waited until the end to ask her for the method, which she narrated to me with enthusiasm.
I made it on the next school event day. My husband said it is tasty and quite imaginative, and the boys said it felt like “a food story.” Now, it has become our creative-lunch dish. That day reminded me that every story – whether told or tasted – needs just the right mix of emotion, timing, and flavor.
How to Make Mutton Biryani? (Step by Step Guide with Images)
Step 1: To make the beresta, heat 1 cup of cooking oil in a pressure cooker. When it is hot, put 2 pieces of onions (medium sized, finely sliced).
(Pro tip: Use a pressure cooker as you will need to pressure-cook the mutton. It reduces hassles).
Step 2: Stir it continuously and fry it on a medium to high flame until it turns golden brown.
(Pro tip: Do not fry the onions at a very high flame or else it will burn and render a bitter taste, and a low flame will make it mushy).
Step 3: When done, drain and remove the fried onions on a plate.
Step 4: Add 1 tsp of garam masala powder, ¼ cup chopped mint leaves, and ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves to it and mix them nicely. Keep the plate aside.
Step 5: Now, take out 2 tbsp of cooking oil from the pressure cooker and keep aside.
Step 6: Heat the remaining oil in the pressure cooker on a low flame and add ½ tsp of black cumin seeds, ½ tsp of black pepper, 1 tsp of cumin seeds, 4 pods of green cardamom, a piece of star anise, 2 sticks cinnamon (inch size), 1 piece of black cardamom, and 2 pieces of bay leaves. Fry them slightly for a minute.
Step 7: At this stage, add 2 pieces of onions (medium sized, sliced finely). Stir them and fry until they turn light golden brown.
Step 8: Then add 4 pieces of whole green chilies and 2 tbsp of ginger garlic paste. Stir and cook them nicely until the raw smell is gone.
Step 9: Now, add 1 kg of mutton to it. Turn the flame to high immediately.
Step 10: Stir and cook the mutton nicely until it changes color, becomes dry and the oil separates. Then add ½ tsp of turmeric powder, 1 tsp of red chili powder, 1 tsp of cumin seeds powder, 1 tsp of coriander seeds powder, 1 tsp of garam masala powder, and 1.5 tsp of salt to it.
Step 11: Stir and cook it nicely with the powdered spices until it changes color. Now, turn the flame to low and add ½ cup of whisked yogurt and mix it.
(Pro tip: Yogurt will curdle if you add it when the flame is high).
Step 12: When you see the oil separating, add a fistful of finely chopped coriander leaves. Mix it nicely and cook it on a medium flame.
Step 13: Finally, add 1 cup water to it when the oil starts to separate and mix nicely. Let it come to a boil.
(Pro tip: Do not add too much water. Since the mutton is fresh, it will release its own oil and moisture).
Step 14: Now cover the pressure cooker and let it cook until the gravy becomes thick. Check the consistency.
(Pro tip: Ideally, you should cook the mutton for 30 to 35 minutes or up to 4 to 5 whistles).
Step 15: If the consistency is thick enough, add half of the remaining beresta to it that you have made earlier. Mix it nicely. Cover the pressure cooker and keep it aside.
Step 16: Now, to make the rice, boil 4 liters of water. Then add a cinnamon stick (inch size), 2 pieces of bay leaves, and a piece of star anise. Also, squeeze 1 tsp of lemon juice and put the lemon as well along with 2 tsp of salt and 1 tbsp of cooking oil.
Step 17: Let them cook for 2 to 3 minutes before removing them from the boiling water.
Step 18: Now, add 1 kg basmati rice (pre-soaked for 30 minutes).
Step 19: Cook the rice till it is 70 to 80% cooked. Check the doneness.
Step 20: Now, in a separate patili, spread the oil that you have removed earlier after cooking the beresta.
Step 21: Put the hot rice in it. Spread it to create a layer.
Step 22: Now, put the mutton and spread it to make the next layer on top of the rice.
Step 23: Now, spread the beresta on top of the mutton.
Step 24: Create another layer with the remaining rice on top of the mutton.
Step 25: Now, in a separate bowl take ½ cup of hot milk and mix ¼ tsp of saffron, ½ tsp turmeric powder, and 1 tsp kewra water.
(Pro tip: Use hot milk as that will remove the raw smell of turmeric powder. You can use a few drops of yellow food color in place of turmeric powder if you want).
Step 26: Mix everything nicely and pour it on the rice.
Step 27: Now, add 2 tbsp of clarified butter (ghee) to it as well.
Step 28: Finally, put the remaining beresta on the rice. Cover it with a lid and cook the biryani for 15 to 20 minutes in a very low flame.
Step 29: After 20 minutes, remove the lid, mix the biryani very carefully from the sides, working down gently.
Step 30: Your homemade tasty and spicy mutton biryani is ready now. Take it out on a plate and serve it hot.
Recipe Card
Mutton Biryani
Ingredients
To cook the rice:
- 1 kg basmati rice pre-soaked for 30 minutes
- 4 liter boiling water
- 1 piece cinnamon inch size stick
- 2 pieces bay leaves
- 1 piece star anise
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
- ½ cup hot milk
- ¼ tsp saffron
- ½ tsp turmeric powder or a few drops of yellow food color
- 1 tsp kewra water
- 2 tbsp clarified butter ghee
To cook the mutton:
- 1 kg mutton cut in large chunks
- ½ tsp black cumin seeds
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 4 pods green cardamom
- 1 piece star anise
- 2 pieces cinnamon inch size sticks
- 1 piece black cardamom
- 2 pieces bay leaves
- 2 pieces onions medium sized, sliced finely
- 4 pieces green chilies whole
- 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 1 tsp cumin seeds powder
- 1 tsp coriander seeds powder
- 1 tsp garam masala powder
- 1.5 tsp salt
- ½ cup whisked yogurt
- Coriander leaves – a fistful finely chopped
- 1 cup water
To make the beresta:
- 1 cup cooking oil
- 2 pieces onions medium sized, finely sliced
- 1 tsp garam masala powder
- ¼ cup chopped mint leaves
- ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves
Instructions
- To make the beresta, heat 1 cup of cooking oil in a pressure cooker. When it is hot, put 2 pieces of onions (medium sized, finely sliced). (Pro tip: Use a pressure cooker as you will need to pressure-cook the mutton. It reduces hassles).
- Stir it continuously and fry it on a medium to high flame until it turns golden brown. (Pro tip: Do not fry the onions at a very high flame or else it will burn and render a bitter taste, and a low flame will make it mushy).
- When done, drain and remove the fried onions on a plate.
- Add 1 tsp of garam masala powder, ¼ cup chopped mint leaves, and ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves to it and mix them nicely. Keep the plate aside.
- Now, take out 2 tbsp of cooking oil from the pressure cooker and keep aside.
- Heat the remaining oil in the pressure cooker on a low flame and add ½ tsp of black cumin seeds, ½ tsp of black pepper, 1 tsp of cumin seeds, 4 pods of green cardamom, a piece of star anise, 2 sticks cinnamon (inch size), 1 piece of black cardamom, and 2 pieces of bay leaves. Fry them slightly for a minute.
- At this stage, add 2 pieces of onions (medium sized, sliced finely). Stir them and fry until they turn light golden brown.
- Then add 4 pieces of whole green chilies and 2 tbsp of ginger garlic paste. Stir and cook them nicely until the raw smell is gone.
- Now, add 1 kg of mutton to it. Turn the flame to high immediately.
- Stir and cook the mutton nicely until it changes color, becomes dry and the oil separates. Then add ½ tsp of turmeric powder, 1 tsp of red chili powder, 1 tsp of cumin seeds powder, 1 tsp of coriander seeds powder, 1 tsp of garam masala powder, and 1.5 tsp of salt to it.
- Stir and cook it nicely with the powdered spices until it changes color. Now, turn the flame to low and add ½ cup of whisked yogurt and mix it. (Pro tip: Yogurt will curdle if you add it when the flame is high).
- When you see the oil separating, add a fistful of finely chopped coriander leaves. Mix it nicely and cook it on a medium flame.
- Finally, add 1 cup water to it when the oil starts to separate and mix nicely. Let it come to a boil. (Pro tip: Do not add too much water. Since the mutton is fresh, it will release its own oil and moisture).
- Now cover the pressure cooker and let it cook until the gravy becomes thick. Check the consistency. (Pro tip: Ideally, you should cook the mutton for 30 to 35 minutes or up to 4 to 5 whistles).
- If the consistency is thick enough, add half of the remaining beresta to it that you have made earlier. Mix it nicely. Cover the pressure cooker and keep it aside.
- Now, to make the rice, boil 4 liters of water. Then add a cinnamon stick (inch size), 2 pieces of bay leaves, and a piece of star anise. Also, squeeze 1 tsp of lemon juice and put the lemon as well along with 2 tsp of salt and 1 tbsp of cooking oil.
- Let them cook for 2 to 3 minutes before removing them from the boiling water.
- Now, add 1 kg basmati rice (pre-soaked for 30 minutes).
- Cook the rice till it is 70 to 80% cooked. Check the doneness.
- Now, in a separate patili, spread the oil that you have removed earlier after cooking the beresta.
- Put the hot rice in it. Spread it to create a layer.
- Now, put the mutton and spread it to make the next layer on top of the rice.
- Now, spread the beresta on top of the mutton.
- Create another layer with the remaining rice on top of the mutton.
- Now, in a separate bowl take ½ cup of hot milk and mix ¼ tsp of saffron, ½ tsp turmeric powder, and 1 tsp kewra water. (Pro tip: Use hot milk as that will remove the raw smell of turmeric powder. You can use a few drops of yellow food color in place of turmeric powder if you want).
- Mix everything nicely and pour it on the rice.
- Now, add 2 tbsp of clarified butter (ghee) to it as well.
- Finally, put the remaining beresta on the rice. Cover it with a lid and cook the biryani for 15 to 20 minutes in a very low flame.
- After 20 minutes, remove the lid, mix the biryani very carefully from the sides, working down gently.
- Your homemade tasty and spicy mutton biryani is ready now. Take it out on a plate and serve it hot.
