Mutton Biriyani Recipe / Atterachi Biryani Recipe

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There are plenty of ways to make biriyani and every household has their own unique recipe for the same. This recipe was used by my mom and I have always followed it for mutton or beef biriyani. It’s easy, can be prepared ahead of time and baked just before serving. It’s a great dish especially when hosting a party or if you are cooking for the weekend ahead of time like me…

Mutton Biriyani / Atterachi Biryani

Ingredients:
For the Rice:
Basmathi Rice -3 cups
Boiling water- 6 cups
Ghee-3 tbsp
Cinnamon sticks -6x 1” piece
Cloves -8
Cardamom - 4
Salt -to taste
For the MuttonKorma:
Mutton / Lamb -3/4kg
Curry Power -2tbsp
Onion -3(big)
Green Chilies -5 nos.
Ginger 2" piece -2nos
Garlic -15 big cloves
Tomatoes -4nos(medium)
Khus Khus / poppy seeds -2tsp (if khus khus is not available substitute it with ground cashew nuts)
Coriander leaves-1 bunch
Yogurt / Curd -2tbsp, whisked
Ghee -1/4cup
Salt to taste

Method:
Preparing the Rice:

• Wash rice and drain out the excess water.
• In a non-stick pan heat 3 tbsp ghee and add cinnamon, cloves and cardamom and sauté for few seconds and add the rice. Stir continuously on high heat for 2-3 minutes. Add boiling water and salt, stir well and cook covered on low heat until the water has been absorbed. Gently stir the rice with a fork and keep aside.

Preparing the Mutton Korma:

• Cut mutton to medium pieces and clean properly and keep aside in a colander. (to remove mutton smell add some salt, lime juice and yogurt to mutton pieces and leave it for 5-10 minutes and then wash properly).
• Mince onions, chillies, ginger and garlic together in a food processor. Chop tomatoes and coriander and keep aside.
• Soak khus khus / poppy seeds in 2tbsp of water, for 15 minutes and grind it to a smooth paste.
• Heat ghee in a pressure cooker and stir fry the minced onion mixture till golden brown.
• Add curry power, tomatoes and salt and sauté till tomatoes are cooked well. Into this add ground khus khus or cashew nuts and sauté.
• Add mutton and sauté well. Add enough boiling water and pressure cook the meat till done and the gravy thickens (about 20 mints).
• Finally add curd and coriander leaves mix well and let the curry a nice boil turn off the heat and keep aside.

Assemble the Biriyani:

• Grease an ovenproof baking dish with some ghee.
• Divide the rice into three portions. Spread one portion to the bottom of the dish. Cover the rice with half of the cooked mutton. Spread another layer of rice on top, and then cover with the rest of the mutton. Finally top the mutton with the last portion of rice.
• Drizzle some saffron or turmeric soaked in milk and ghee on the rice.
• Pre-heat oven to 180˚C and bake for 10-15 minutes or until heated thoroughly (can microwave it for 10 minutes, 50% MW power).
• Garnish biriyani with some golden fried onions, cashews and raisins.
• Serve with onion and yogurt salad, Lime pickle, Dates pickle and pappad.