Biryanis & Pulav · Andhra Pradesh

Mutton Fry Biryani

The Andhra and Telangana restaurant favourite: fiery, curry-leaf-scented mutton fry layered with fragrant basmati and steamed on dum so the spice seeps into every grain.

Mutton Fry Biryani

Prep 30 min · Cook 75 min · Total 105 min · Serves 4

Ingredients

Mutton

  • 750 g Mutton (goat), bone-in, small pieces
  • 1 tbsp Ginger-garlic paste
  • ½ tsp Turmeric
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 cup Water

Fry masala

  • 4 tbsp Oil
  • 2 Onions, finely sliced
  • 3 sprigs Curry leaves
  • 4 Green chillies, slit
  • 1 tbsp Ginger-garlic paste
  • 2 ½ tsp Guntur red chilli powder
  • 1 ½ tsp Coriander powder
  • 1 tsp Black pepper, freshly crushed
  • 1 ½ tsp Garam masala
  • ½ tsp Salt
  • 1 tbsp Lemon juice

Rice

  • 2 cups Aged basmati rice
  • 2 Bay leaves
  • 4 Green cardamom pods
  • 4 Cloves
  • 1 inch Cinnamon stick
  • 1 Star anise
  • ½ cup Mint leaves
  • 2 tbsp Salt, for the water

Layering

  • 3 tbsp Ghee
  • ½ cup Coriander leaves, chopped
  • ½ cup Mint leaves
  • ½ cup Fried onions (birista)

Method

  1. Pressure-cook the mutton. Put the mutton in a pressure cooker with the ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, salt and water. Cook for 5 to 6 whistles on medium, until tender. Let the pressure drop on its own and keep the stock.
  2. Make the fry. Heat the oil in a wide kadai and fry the onions until golden. Add the curry leaves, green chillies and ginger-garlic paste and stir for a minute. Add the mutton with any stock, then the chilli powder, coriander powder, pepper, garam masala and salt. Fry on high, stirring, until the liquid is gone and the masala clings dark and glossy to the meat, 12 to 15 minutes. Squeeze in the lemon.
  3. Par-boil the rice. Boil 2 1/2 litres of water with the whole spices, mint and salt. Add the drained rice and cook until 70% done, about 5 minutes. Drain at once.
  4. Layer. In a heavy pot, spread half the mutton fry, then half the rice, coriander, mint and birista. Repeat, finishing with rice and herbs. Drizzle the ghee over the top along with 3 tbsp of the leftover mutton stock or water.
  5. Dum. Cover with foil and a tight lid. Cook on medium for 3 minutes, then set on a hot tawa over the lowest flame for 20 minutes. Rest 10 minutes, then serve with onion raita and a boiled egg.

Tips

The fry should be properly dry and dark before it goes into the pot; any watery masala makes the rice mushy. Guntur chilli gives the true Andhra heat; Kashmiri chilli will look the part but taste much milder.