Malabar Mutton Biriyani

Malabari Biryani is a specialty in itself and with succulent mutton being the star, the entire dish is considered exquisite. The extraordinary spice mix and cooking style, coupled with the soft and delicate texture of the savoury fluffy rice, ensure a blast of flavour for one’s taste buds. The recipe below will transport you to the northern hills of Malabar where it was first conceived.

Ingredients for Marinating
Mutton - ½ kg (cut into medium size)
Coriander Leaves – 25 g
Mint Leaves – 25 g
Curry Leaves – 10 g
Green Chillies – 5 no.
Cumin Seeds – 1 tsp.
Garlic (chopped) – 2 tsp.
Ginger (chopped) – 2 tsp.
Turmeric Powder – ½ tsp.
Lime Juice – 1 tsp.
Poppy Seed Paste – 1 tsp.
Yogurt – ½ cup
Coriander Powder – 2 tsp.
Aniseed Powder – ½ tsp.

Ingredients for Biriyani Rice
Ghee – 3 tsp.
Cinnamon – 5 to 6 no.
Bay leaf – 1
Cardamom Seeds – 4 to 5 no.
Curry leaves
Onion (chopped) – 1 cup
Biriyani Rice – 250 g
Water – ½ L
Ingredients for Masala
Ghee – 2 tsp
Cinnamon – 5 no.
Bay leaf – 1
Cloves – 4 no.
Cardamom – 4 no.
Nutmeg – 100 g
Tomato – 1

Ingredients for Decoration
Onion (sliced) – 1 cup
Cashew Nuts – ¼ cup
Raisins – ¼ cup

Method of Preparation
You may begin by marinating the mutton pieces. Take the mutton pieces in a bowl and add garlic, cloves, cinnamon, aniseeds, green chillies, turmeric powder, poppy-seed paste, chopped ginger, nutmeg, bay leaf, mint leaves, cumin seeds, cardamom, coriander powder, lime juice, curry leaves, yoghurt and salt. Mix well and keep it aside.

Now take a pan and heat one teaspoon of ghee. Put cashew nuts. When they become brown, remove it. Repeat the process with raisins. You may now put the chopped onions, salt and stir well. Keep the contents aside.

Heat three teaspoons of ghee in a pan. Put shredded onions and stir. To this, add tomatoes and stir well. Now add the marinated mutton. Pour enough water and stir a bit. Close the vessel and cook.

Take another vessel and heat four teaspoons of ghee. Put cloves, aniseeds, cinnamon, cumin seed powder and curry leaves. To this, add cardamom and onions. Stir well and add the rice. Stir again. Pour enough water to cover the rice. Now add salt. Cover the vessel and cook.

Now remove the lid of the pan in which the mutton is being cooked. Stir a bit.

From the vessel in which the rice is being prepared, remove a portion of the cooked rice into a bowl. Take some mutton pieces and place them on top of the remaining rice in the vessel. Add the portion of the cooked rice removed into a bowl on top of the mutton pieces. Again add the remaining mutton pieces on top of this. Finally add cashew nuts, raisins and fried onions. Add some coriander leaves and cook for a minute.

Now get ready to savour this popular delicacy from the Malabar region of Kerala.

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