Malabar Mutton Biriyani

Hi lets say a warm hello to this delicious and aromatic Malabar Mutton Biriyani. Aromatic jeera rice  with succulent pieces of mutton perfectly wrapped in aromatic herbs and spices .

Biriyani needs no introduction,A classic meal and very popular among all over India.Biriyani is a very tasty and aromatic meal perfect for any occasion.To day I am posting a typical Malabar style mutton biriyani recipe here.

Based on cooking method   biriyani can classify in to two kachchi biriyani and pakki biriyani

Kachchi Biriyani

In the Kachchi biriyani marinated raw meat or poultry is cooking with raw rice.raw meat is layered with raw rice before being cooked. the marinade is yogurt based and aromatic. Traditionally kachchi biriyani is cooked in clay oven and the vessel is usually sealed with cooking dough to allow the biriyani to cook in its own steam and the sealed pot is not opened until the biriyani is ready to be served.

Pakki Biriyani

In pakki biriyani the meat is cooked before being layered with  half cooked rice.Meat and rice are cooking separately then layering and cooking in a sealed vessel in slow fire.this method is called dum cooking and my Malabar biriyani is a typical Pakki biriyani.

Biriyani is basically a rice  based dish,rice blended with meat or poultry.Biriyani is first introduced by Mughals in North India,Where as south Indian biriyani  is highly influenced by the Arabs.Ingredients of biriyani may vary according to the type of meat used and the region biriyani is from.But mostly the rice is basmathi and meat is mutton or chicken.But in Kerala we are using a special rice called khyma or jeerakasala,its a special small grained fragrant rice.Malabar biriyani preparation is dum method the cooking vessel is sealing with dough and placing hot charcoal on top of the lid,then cooking in slow fire.

Biriyani is a labor oriented dish but its worth.here is my malabar style mutton biriyani recipe try it and let me know how it turns out for you

here is the recipe.

Print Recipe

Malabar Mutton Biriyani

Mutton marinated in aromatic spices and curd,then slow cooked with rice,garnished with fried cashew nuts ,raisins and onions.

Course

Main Course

Cuisine

South Indian

Cook Time

60 minutes

Servings

serving

Ingredients

• 1 kg mutton
• 7 nos onion
• 2 nos tomato
• 1 teaspoon garlic crushed
• 1 teaspoon ginger crushed
• 9 nos green chili
• 2 tablespoons curd table
• handful mint leaves a
• handful coriander leaves a
• 1 lemon juice lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 3/4 teaspoon masala biriyani
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper powder
• 5 nos cloves
• 5 nos cardamom
• 2 cinnamon small piece
• 2 nos star anise
• 1 mace small
• 750 g rice geerakasala
• 2 tablespoons ghee table
• water
• 100 g dalda
• 2 milk warm table spoon
• 2 pinchs turmeric saffron /
• salt

Course Main Course Cuisine South Indian Cook Time 60 minutes Servings serving Ingredients 1 kg mutton 7 nos onion 2 nos tomato 1 teaspoon garlic crushed 1 teaspoon ginger crushed 9 nos green chili 2 tablespoons curd table handful mint leaves a handful coriander leaves a 1 lemon juice lemon 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder 3/4 teaspoon masala biriyani 1/4 teaspoon pepper powder 5 nos cloves 5 nos cardamom 2 cinnamon small piece 2 nos star anise 1 mace small 750 g rice geerakasala 2 tablespoons ghee table water 100 g dalda 2 milk warm table spoon 2 pinchs turmeric saffron / salt

Instructions

1. clean and wash mutton under running water
2. marinate cleaned mutton with curd,salt,chili powder ,turmeric powder, pepper powder,biriyani masala and 1/2 of the lemon juice,keep aside for 30 minutes
3. clean,wash and thinly slice onion .cut tomato in to small pieces,chop green chili.chop mint and coriander leaves.keep all this aside.
4. clean and wash rice,keep it on a strainer.
5. mix two pinch of turmeric/saffron in to 2 table spoon milk
6. heat 3/4 of the ghee in a thick bottom vessel,add 1/2 of the thinly sliced onion in to the ghee.saute until onion become golden brown.remove it from oil and keep in to a paper towel.
7. add cashew and cardamom in to it, fry it and transfer it in to to the fried onions.add 3 pinches of biriyani masala and 2 teaspoon of chopped coriander and mint leaves in to it.mix well and keep aside for garnishing.
8. remove ghee from the vessel.and keep this aside.we can use it in the final stage(dum) of biriyani preparation.
9. In the same vessel(clean vessel) heat oil, then add half of the cloves,cardamom, cinnamon .star anise and mace.then add crushed ginger and garlic, saute well until raw smell goes.
10. then add remaining thinly sliced onion in to it saute until onion become light brown(when it starts to turn brown).then add sliced green chili,saute few minutes,then add tomato and saute well.
11. then add mutton pieces.saute for few minutes,then add sufficient amount of warm water in to it.mix well and cover with a lid and cook well.
12. once done let the water evaporates completely,
13. mean time in another vessel boil water(1 1/2 cup water for 1 cup rice) and keep aside.
14. heat 3/4 of the dalda in a thick bottom vessel,add rice in to it .fry till rice is a bit of crispy.then add boiled water,salt, lemon juice,cardamom ,cloves and cinnamon.cook in a high flame till water is absorbed by rice.then lower the flame and cook covered for 10 minutes .check the water consistency in between.once the rice cooked well spread the remaining dalda on top of the rice.switch off the stove.
15. for making dum take the mutton masala vessel spread a hand full of fried onion, cashew nut and raisin mixture on top of mutton.
16. then transfer one layer of rice on top of this and spread the garnishing items on top of it.drizzle few drops of ghee(cashew and onion fried ghee) and milk . again add rice on top of this do layering until rice and garnishing items finish. add the remaining pure ghee on top of final layer.
17. make dough of maida,spread it in the edges of the vessel then tightly seal it.
18. cook in a low flame for 10 minutes or if you are cooking in a traditional oven add burning charcoal on top the lid.
19. after 10 minutes remove from fire and keep aside for few more minutes.then open the lid transfer rice into another vessel mix well and keep aside,then mix the mutton well
20. while serving put the mutton masala in a plate and cover it with rice.serve with salad,mint chutney, and lemon pickle.

Recipe Notes

do not add too much spices and masala .it will spoil the taste of the biriyani.

add chili as per the heat level.

depends on the quality of rice you may need more or less water.always keep some boiled water aside so that you can add this to rice if needed,

cook meat first ,then cook rice

if you are using pressure cooker for making masala cook the marinated meat first.add little water approximately 2-3 whistle.then completely evaporate excess water.add this meat to the masala.

you can cook rice also in pressure cooker,keep water level on inch above.for jeerakasala rice 1 whistle is enough.let the pressure goes naturally.