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Hyderabadi Mutton / lamb biryani
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5 from 3 votes

Hyderabadi Mutton Biryani

Hyderabadi Mutton (Lamb) Biryani is a festive dish made with layers of succulent lamb curry, luscious spices and fragrant & aromatic saffron rice.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 25 minutes
Total Time1 hour 55 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Asian, Indian
Diet: Gluten Free
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 588kcal
Author: Ayla Clulee

Equipment

  • 1 kitchen scale
  • 1 measuring spoons
  • 1 Measuring cups
  • 1 Lodge Dutch oven
  • 1 Rubber spatula
  • 1 Sharp knife

Ingredients

For the Marinade

  • 1 tablespoon garlic and ginger paste
  • 1 teaspoon chilli powder or flaked chilli
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • 2 teaspoon garam masala
  • 7 oz natural yogurt (200 grams)
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 lb diced lamb (500 grams)

For the Curry Sauce

  • 1 ½ tablespoon ghee
  • 3 large onions (sliced)
  • 3 green cardamoms (slightly crushed)
  • 1 small cinnamon stick
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 teaspoon chilli powder or flaked chilli (adjust to your taste)
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon mace (optional)
  • ½ bunch coriander (chopped)
  • 1 chilli (chopped)
  • 1 cup chicken stock or lamb stock
  • salt to taste

For the Rice

  • 1 ½ cups basmati rice
  • 3 tablespoon fresh lemon or lime juice
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 green cardamoms (slightly crushed)
  • 3 cups cold water
  • 3 tablespoon milk
  • pinch of saffron (optional)
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Marinating the Lamb

  • Mix garlic and ginger paste, chilli powder or flaked chilli, ground turmeric, salt, garam masala and natural yoghurt in a large bowl.
  • Mix until combined and add the diced lamb. Make sure all the lamb pieces are covered with marinade.
  • Cover the bowl with cling film or a lid and let it marinate in the fridge preferably overnight or for a minimum of 5 hours.

Cooking the Lamb Curry

  • Put a heavy-based pan or a Dutch oven on medium heat and melt the ghee.
  • Add sliced onions and sauté them until caramelised and get really dark brown but not burnt. This would take around 20 to 30 minutes.
  • Spare half of the caramelised onions on a plate and set them aside to use later for garnishing the biryani.
  • Add cardamoms, cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, flaked chilli, garam masala, mace (optional) and turmeric to the pan, and sauté for 40 seconds. Stir continuously to make sure they don’t get burnt.
  • Add the mutton along with the marinade, the chicken stock or the lamb stock, coriander, and the chilli.
  • Mix well and turn the heat to high to bring the mixture to a boil.
  • When it boils, lower the heat, close the lid and let it simmer for one hour or until the mutton is tender, stirring occasionally. Stir occasionally to avoid it sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Cooking the Rice

  • While the mutton is cooking, prepare the rice.
  • Wash the rice in a sieve under running cold water until the water from the rice is no longer cloudy.
  • Soak the rice in room temperature water for 20 minutes.
  • Drain the water and place the rice along with the lime or lemon juice, salt, cardamoms and water in a large saucepan.
  • Bring it to a boil over medium heat and cook for 2 minutes. Strain the rice and discard the cooking liquid.

Layering the Mutton Biryani

  • Preheat the oven to 180 °C (356 ℉).
  • Warm the milk, add the saffron (if using) to infuse for about 10 minutes and set it aside to garnish the biryani.
  • When the meat is tender enough, check the seasoning and add some salt if needed.
  • Remove from the heat and spread the precooked rice on the top of the curry with the back of a spoon, making sure the rice totally covers the curry.
  • Garnish the top of the rice with the reserved caramelized onions and sprinkle on the milk infused with saffron.
  • Tightly cover the pan or the Dutch oven with tin foil then place the lid over the foil.
  • Cook in the preheated oven for 20 minutes.
  • Remove the pan from the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • Choose the highest quality aged long grain basmati rice from a well-known brand for the best results.
  • Washing the rice under running cold water will prevent them from sticking together and make them fluffy and flakey.
  • Marinating the lamb a day ahead would save you some time. The cooking time of the meat will vary depending on the cut and size of the meat you use as well as the marinating time.
  • You can also add grated raw papaya to the marinade to tenderize your mutton.
  • Use a dutch oven or a good quality heavy-based pan to make biryani. Let the biryani simmer gently over low heat for evenly cooked rice.
  • Avoid overmixing the rice before serving to preserve the variety of colors the rice acquires during the cooking process.

Nutrition

Calories: 588kcal | Carbohydrates: 77g | Protein: 34g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 1096mg | Potassium: 848mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 551IU | Vitamin C: 30mg | Calcium: 164mg | Iron: 4mg