Preparing Mutton Biryani For A Muslim Wedding

Biryani is a dish that is loved by all, and when it comes to a wedding, it is a must-have on the menu. The Muslim-style mutton biryani is a delicious, fragrant, and finger-licking dish that is perfect for any special occasion, especially weddings. This dish is slow-cooked with marinated mutton curry, fried onions, and basmati rice layered to perfection, and is often served with raita. The key to a good biryani is the patience and time taken to cook each ingredient, allowing the flavours to develop and come together. This dish is best cooked in a pressure cooker or a heavy-bottomed pan, with whole spices and ghee adding to its richness. The preparation and cooking time for this dish is approximately 2 hours, and it can serve up to 8 people.

Preparing the meat

Start by washing and drying the mutton pieces thoroughly. Take a pressure cooker and heat some oil in it. You can use cooking oil, coconut oil, or ghee. Add whole spices such as cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods (both green and black), cloves, and bay leaves. Fry these spices for a minute or until they become aromatic. The spices provide a fragrant and flavorful base for your biryani.

Once the spices release their aroma, it's time to add the sliced onions. Sauté the onions until they turn a light golden brown color. This step is crucial as properly fried onions add a depth of flavor to the dish. Next, add ginger-garlic paste and sauté until the raw smell disappears. Ginger and garlic lend a pungent and slightly spicy note to the biryani.

Now, it's time to add the mutton. Put the large-sized mutton pieces into the pressure cooker and fry them on high heat for about 7 to 8 minutes. You can also add salt and turmeric powder at this stage to season the meat. After frying the mutton, add chopped tomatoes and green chillies. The tomatoes will provide a tangy flavor and help create a thick gravy.

At this point, you can also add some water to the pressure cooker and close the lid. Cook the mutton on high heat until you hear one whistle, then lower the heat and continue cooking for about 10-12 minutes. The cooking time may vary depending on the quality of the mutton and the intensity of the flame, so keep an eye on it.

While the mutton is cooking, you can prepare the biryani masala powder. Take coriander seeds, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, a small piece of nutmeg, mace, cinnamon, cloves, black cardamom, green cardamom, and star anise. You can also add cashews, sesame seeds, poppy seeds, saffron, chilli flakes, and red chilli powder for extra flavor and color. Grind all these spices together into a fine powder.

Once the mutton is tender, transfer it to a pot in which you will prepare the biryani. Add the ground biryani masala powder and curd (yogurt) to the mutton and mix well. You can also add some mint leaves and coriander leaves for a fresh aroma and flavor. Let this mixture boil on high heat for a minute, then lower the heat, cover the pot, and cook for an additional 5 to 7 minutes. This process helps develop the flavors and creates a thick, juicy gravy.

Making the masala

Step 1: Gather the Spices

Start by gathering all the spices you will need. The spices typically used in a biryani masala include cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, bay leaves, black cardamom, cumin, black peppercorns, nutmeg, mace, coriander seeds, and chilli flakes. You can adjust the quantities of these spices according to your taste preferences.

Step 2: Dry Roast the Spices

Take a dry pan and add the cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves. Dry roast these spices over medium heat until they turn golden and release their aromatic flavours. This process helps to awaken the spices and enhances their fragrance and taste. Make sure you roast them evenly without burning them.

Step 3: Cool and Grind

Once the spices are nicely roasted, transfer them to a plate or bowl and allow them to cool down completely. This step is important as it ensures that the spices are easy to grind and helps prevent them from forming a paste due to residual heat.

After they have cooled, grind the roasted spices into a fine powder. You can use a spice grinder or a mortar and pestle for this step. Grind the spices to a fine consistency; a coarse grind may change the texture of your biryani.

Step 4: Prepare the Onion-Ginger-Garlic Paste

While the spices are cooling, you can prepare the onion-ginger-garlic paste. Take a blender and add onions, ginger, garlic, mint leaves, and coriander leaves. Blend them together to form a smooth paste. You can adjust the quantities of these ingredients to suit your taste.

Step 5: Tempering

In a heavy-bottomed pan, heat some oil or ghee. You can use a combination of both for added flavour. Once the oil is hot, add the bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, star anise, mace, cardamom (both green and black), and shahi jeera. Allow these spices to crackle and release their aroma.

Step 6: Adding the Paste

Now, add the onion-ginger-garlic paste to the pan and sauté it until it turns golden brown. Fry the paste for about 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, to cook the raw smell away. The paste should release a nice fragrance when it is done.

Step 7: Tomatoes and Spices

Add chopped tomatoes, salt, and turmeric powder to the pan and cook until the tomatoes turn soft and mushy. You can cover the pan to help the tomatoes cook faster.

Now, it's time to add the spice powders. Add red chilli powder and the ground spice mix (prepared in Step 3) to the pan. Fry these spices for about 3 minutes on low heat, stirring continuously, to release their flavours and aromas. Be careful not to burn the spices.

Step 8: Curd and Meat

Add curd to the pan and stir well. If you are using chicken or mutton, add the meat at this stage. Fry the meat on low heat for a few minutes until it changes colour. If using mutton, you can pressure cook it until tender before adding it to the masala.

Your masala is now ready to be combined with the rice and other ingredients to create the perfect Muslim wedding mutton biryani!

Cooking the rice

Wash and soak the basmati rice for at least 20 minutes or up to an hour. This is important for a nice, fluffy biryani.

Boil 2 litres of water in a separate vessel. While the water is boiling, add salt, oil, bay leaves, black cardamom, cloves, star anise, a small piece of cinnamon and green chillies. You can also add black cumin or shah jeera.

Add the soaked rice to the boiling water and cook until it is 75% or 80% done. This should take 5-7 minutes on a high flame. Drain the rice and set aside.

Add the rice to the mutton curry and mix gently so that the rice does not break. Cover and cook on a medium flame for about 10 minutes.

Now it's time to keep the biryani in 'dum'. Heat an old dosa tawa and keep the biryani vessel on top of it. Give a gentle and good stir, cover with a lid, and keep a pot filled with water on top of the biryani vessel. This is to ensure the steam does not escape.

Cook the biryani in 'dum' for about 20 minutes on a low-medium flame. After that, switch off the stove, remove the pot of water, and keep the biryani in 'dum' for about 30 minutes.

Fluff up the rice with a fork and serve hot.

Layering the biryani

Turn off the flame and start layering the biryani. Firstly, add fried potato pieces to the edges of the pot in a circular direction. This makes serving easier, and you can skip this step if preferred. Sprinkle some coriander leaves and fried onions on top of the potatoes. Now, add a layer of boiled rice over the potatoes.

Pour half a cup of milk over the rice layer, followed by saffron soaked in milk. You can also add yellow food colouring mixed with milk to achieve the desired colour. Sprinkle kewra water and add some ghee and fried onions to the layer.

Cover the pot with a cloth and lid. Cook on a high flame for 3-4 minutes, then reduce the heat and cook for a further 10-12 minutes. Your Muslim wedding mutton biryani is now ready to be served hot!

Serving suggestions

Muslim-style mutton biryani is a popular dish at weddings and family gatherings. It is often served with raita (salad) or Brinjal curry: These are the most common side dishes to serve with mutton biryani. The raita adds a cooling element to the spicy biryani, while the brinjal curry provides a tasty contrast in flavours and textures.

• Onion raita and brinjal curry: These are the most common side dishes to serve with mutton biryani. The raita adds a cooling element to the spicy biryani, while the brinjal curry provides a tasty contrast in flavours and textures.
• Chicken salna or mutton gravy: These gravy dishes can add extra flavour and moisture to the biryani. They can be poured over the biryani or served as a side dish.
• Egg: A boiled or fried egg can be a tasty addition to the biryani, providing extra protein and a different texture.
• Fried potatoes: Potatoes can be added to the biryani for extra flavour, texture and bulk. They can be layered with the rice or served as a side dish.
• Garnishes: Fresh coriander leaves, mint leaves, and fried onions can be sprinkled on top of the biryani for extra flavour and colour.
• Saffron: A pinch of saffron soaked in milk can be added to the biryani for extra flavour and a vibrant yellow colour.
• Kewra water: This aromatic water, made from the screwpine flower, can be added to the biryani for a unique floral fragrance.
• Ghee: A drizzle of ghee (clarified butter) can be added to the biryani for extra richness and flavour.
• Yellow food colouring: This can be added to the milk and saffron mixture to enhance the colour of the dish.
• Lemon juice: A squeeze of lemon juice can be added to the biryani to brighten the flavours and add a tangy note.

Frequently asked questions