mutton biryani

Mutton biryani is a rice-and-meat dish made in several ways across India. Swasthi Shreekanth’s selected Hyderabadi pakki dum version first cooks the meat into a thick gravy, then layers rice over it; this presentation uses the source’s allowed lamb option.

The lamb marinates with yogurt, ready ginger-garlic paste, lemon juice, oil, salt, turmeric powder, chilli powder and selected ready garam masala. A separate pan of oil heats the whole spices before sliced onion and green chilli fry brown, with half the onions reserved for the finish.

The marinated lamb joins the same pan with some mint and coriander. It cooks covered until tender using the selected pressure-cooker method. Separately, washed and soaked basmati rice cooks in salted water with whole spices until its grains are cooked but still have a bite, then drains.

More of the listed yogurt, herbs and reserved onions are mixed into the cooked meat gravy. The rice is layered above it, followed by herbs, onions, ghee and saffron milk. The selected foil seals the rim beneath a heavy lid, and the pot cooks over a hot griddle before resting.

Shreekanth serves this dum preparation hot with raita. The recipe’s soft meat and thick gravy sit beneath the firm rice grains, with the browned onions and herb layers carried through the same pot.