In search of a perfect Mutton Briyani!

I am always in search of one, believe me. Hubby dear is fond of Briyani, especially Mutton Briyani. Whenever he visits a place know for its briyani, he makes a point to have it and decide if it met his expectations. He lived in Hyderabad for a while and enjoyed the most in eating the best Muslim mutton briyani. Since then its been a search for him to have another dish that might meet his expectations. Then his travels lead him to Ambur, a small town down South Tamil Nadu. That place is again famous for its briyani. So he makes a point to spend his lunch time there to have the Mutton Briyani. He says the rice grains are well cooked yet they don't stick together. The meat is well cooked yet its crispy and soft. Well he used to go on and on. And everytime he tells me, I used to feel bad that I haven't been able to meet his expectations. We have a Muslim family friend and that Aunty used to make it for us everytime we happen to either visit them or pass their place. And without saying her dishes used to taste so heavenly. Amma makes wonderful briyanis, no doubt and even he appreciated mine, but he says he was not able to get that exact taste as made by the Muslims in Hyderabad.

Couple of his recent visit to Hyderabad was disappointing because the briyani was not good. I have even bookmarked few briyanis that I have recently seen being blogged. Finally I can say I was able to satisfy his penchant for Hyderabad Muslim Briyani. This recipe given by a cook who for a Muslim met his approval. This gets done in a jiffy and easy to prepare! This is their Sunday lunch. I made Mutton Roast to go along with it. Hubby dear always keeps saying his brother in law makes a mean mutton roast. And I always wanted to see how he makes. There is never time for him to cook when they come visiting us. So I planned to ask him to prepare when we visit them this weekend. But I was so pleasantly surprised when hubby dear complemented that my dish came out as his BIL!!.. Imagine that. Anyway I still plan to check out how he prepares. But I was happy that hubby dear and Athamma loved their Sunday lunch!

Mutton Briyani

Ingredients Needed

Basmati Rice - 1 & 1/2 measuring cup
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Oil - 2 tbsp
Ginger Garlic - 1 tsp
Small Onions (Shallot ) - 50 gms
Onions - 1 & 1/2 medium
Tomatoes - 2 medium
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Green chilies - 2 nos
Curds - 1 tbsp
Lemon - 1 medium
Coconut Milk - 2 glass
Water - 1 glass
Salt to taste
Cinnamon - 2 "
Cloves - 3
Bay leaf - 2
Cardamom - 3
Mint / Pudina leaves - 1/2 cup
Coriander Leaves - 1/2 cup

Method to prepare

Soak Rice for 10 mins

Clean and Cut Mutton to required size pieces. Drain so that excess water

Grind Sambar Onions along with ginger garlic paste. Chop Onions and Tomatoes finely.

Heat oil and ghee in a pressure cooker. Add all the whole spices. Then the paste Onion ginger garlic paste. Fry till the raw smell leaves.

Then add onions along with and fry till its brown. Add mint and coriander leaves. Fry for a min, then add mutton pieces. Let it fry for 2 mins. Water will come out of the meat. It can be cooked for some more time. Then add salt, chilli pw, turmeric pw,

Cook on high, then add tomatoes. Fry for 2 mins. Once its half cooked, add the drained rice. Mix again so that everything gets coated.

Then add 2 glass of coconut milk and 1 glass of water. For basmati rice, I always add 1: 1 & 1/2 water , but since mutton has to get cooked, 3 glass of liquid is added.

Add 1 tbsp curds and juice of 1 lemon. Cover and put it on 2 whistles.

The end result was just too good, I was told. The difference might have been because of the onion paste and coconut milk. I normally don't add so much coconut milk.

Mutton Roast

This is something I just did on whimsy but turned out so good. It had a nice and rich brown coating over the meat that it was quite tempting.

Ingredients needed:

Mutton - 150 gms
Onion - 1/2 medium
Sambar Onions - handful (must be 50 to 70 gms)
Tomato - 1 medium
Salt to taste
Oil - 1 tbsp
Meat Masala powder - 1 & 1/2 tsp
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Ginger Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp

Method to prepare:

Chop onions and Tomatoes to fine pieces. Heat Oil in a cooker, add the chopped onions. Fry till they are brown. Add g-g paste and sauté well. The add the mutton pieces and fry well on high flame. Then add tomatoes will the spice masala and little water. Put it on 4 whistles or till mutton is cooked.

Remove the lid once the pressure is released. Cook on high flame. Adjust the salt, I removed some for my daughter and added the chilli powder for hubby dear as he likes it real hot. Fry till all the water is absorbed and the mutton pieces gets a nice coating of masala.

This was a good combi to the briyani as I didn't prepare any gravy for it. The briyani was quite spicy to be accompanied by Onion raitha.

Enjoy!

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In search of a perfect Mutton Briyani!

Cuisine Tamil Nadu

Author Srivalli

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