This biryani recipe is an old family one, just like my gosht aloo Bukhara, my Nihari recipe, my zarda recipe, and my tawa fry beef keema.
History Of Biryani
Biryani is so popular in Pakistan many consider it the country’s national food. According to Bisma Tirmizi, Mumtaz Mahal, the wife of emperor Shah Jahan first created the famous rice and meat dish. The rich dish was originally created for the purpose of nourishing army soldiers. This traditional Mughlai Biryani was rich in spices and also favored a strong use of aromatics, nuts, and dried fruits. From there, the Nawabs of Awadh took over, and Lucknow’s Biryani was born. Slightly milder spices, less aromatics, and lots of potatoes define this version of the famed dish. Today there are supposedly 30 versions of Biryani, and new ones continue to be created. Take one bite of any of these, and you’ll know what all the hype is about.
My Story
My best memory of eating biryani (and there are many) is eating student biryani. I was lucky it was just behind my school in Karachi, giving me easy access. Cooked in a huge pot in a small street side stall, the biryani was sold in small bags tied with a rubber band. Many would eat it with their hands straight from the bag, a customary practice across Southeast Asia. The biryani is greasier than what is typically cooked at home, but each bite is pure heaven. I’m not sure why, but the vivid memory that stands out is staying back in school for a play rehearsal and sharing a bag of biryani with one of my best friends, Aasiya. I can list countless Biryani eating memories here but I know you’re dying to learn how this delicious food is created so we’ll leave those stories for another day!
The Best Mutton Biryani Recipe
Cooking Biryani is not for the faint of heart. It’s a complex dish that requires some serious cooking skills. That’s not to say that it’s impossible, after all so many people cook it. It just takes a little practice and some perseverance to become a pro at it. My first attempt was terrible, but looking back, I didn’t really have a detailed recipe. Upon researching, as I developed this recipe, I felt that a lengthy and detailed write-up was necessary. I’ve tried to tackle the many questions you’ll likely have as a novice chef. If you have any further questions, please post them in the comments below, I’m always here to help. For the more experienced cook, jump to the recipe and feel free to ignore my ramblings! The Notes section of the recipe card covers many points that may help you, so be sure to read those. But here are a few more tips that may help.
Tips For Making The Best Mutton Biryani:
Rice to Meat Ratio
Biryani is perfect only when every spoonful has meat and rice in it. To ensure that, the ideal ratio is 1 pound of meat per 1 pound of rice (1 pound of rice is 2 cups). My recipe has this perfect ratio, thus the title Best Mutton Biryani Recipe. If I chose to add potatoes, I would usually add 1-2 potatoes for this much rice and meat, depending on the size of the potatoes.
Spices in The Rice
Biryani is meant to be a spicy dish and since the korma is cooked separately and layered with plain boiled rice, it’s important to infuse that rice with some spices. This is why The Best Mutton Biryani Recipe has a spice pouch added to the rice.
Many people simply toss the spices in but I prefer not to do that as having to pick them out or accidentally biting into them ruins the Biryani experience for me! Add them however you please but definitely do add them!
Calculating How Much to Cook Per Person
When planning how much to cook I usually estimate about ⅓ cup of rice per person when I have other items on my menu and ½ cup per person if the Biryani is going to be my only entrée. I then calculate how much meat I need based on the meat to rice ratio above. Of course, a lot depends on everyone’s appetites and whether or not you’re adding potatoes. Typically, I would cook 1 pound of meat and 2 cups of rice for 6 people. If I add potatoes then It may stretch to feed about 8 people.
Cook the Korma Ahead of Time
Cooking Biryani is complicated partially because there are many components to it. I often cook my Korma a day ahead of time to save some time, especially if I’m cooking for a large number of people. On the day I plan to serve the Biryani I reheat the meat curry and add the potatoes to cook at that time. While the potatoes are cooking, I prepare the rice and then layer, steam (dum) and serve!
Fixing Undercooked or Overcooked Rice
To this day, despite years of cooking experience, I often over cook or undercook my rice. Worry not, there are easy ways to salvage the rice in either situation. If your rice is undercooked, add a little extra water (about ½ cup for the quantity in this recipe) when you set the Biryani to steam. This will create more steam than normal and help cook the rice through. Then add 5 extra minutes to the time that you steam the rice. To prevent the korma at bottom from burning, don’t extend the steaming time beyond 5 minutes but leave the pot covered with the foil and the lid on for an extra 10 minutes after you’ve turned the stove off. For overcooked rice, lay the rice out in a thin layer in a large foil tray or other container and let the steam evaporate. This helps dry the rice out. When in doubt about cooking times, remember that it’s easier to fix undercooked rice versus overcooked rice.
Adjusting the salt in the Rice
I would always caution you to add less salt and fix your Biryani later versus accidentally adding too much. However, If you have added excess salt make some raita and kachumber salad and either leave the salt out or halve the quantity. When the Biryani is eaten with the Raita the saltiness will be less prominent. If you have added too little, mix some salt with a small amount of water and drizzle on the Biryani when you steam it. This should fix it!
