Delhi-Style Mutton Biryani
A distinct spicier, drier style of biryani associated with Delhi's Mughlai kitchens, layering marinated mutton with part-cooked rice and slow-steamed on dum.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 90 min
- Total
- 130 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Hard
- Calories
- 540 kcal
Equipment
- •Heavy handi
- •Dough for sealing lid
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 540 kcal
- fat
- 22 g
- carbs
- 58 g
- fibre
- 2 g
- protein
- 28 g
- calories
- 540 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Mix mutton with yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, red chilli powder, half the fried onions and salt. Leave for at least 2 hours.
- 2
Cook the mutton in a heavy handi (deep cooking pot) over low heat. Simmer until nearly tender and the gravy thickens.
- 3
Boil the soaked rice with whole spices and salt until 70 percent cooked. Drain the water.
- 4
Spread the partly cooked rice in an even layer over the mutton in the same handi.
- 5
Scatter saffron milk, chopped mint, coriander and the remaining fried onions over the rice.
- 6
Drizzle ghee (clarified butter) on top. Seal the handi tightly with a dough seal or heavy lid.
- 7
Cook on very low heat for dum (slow steam cooking) for 20 to 25 minutes so flavours meld.
- 8
Let it rest for 10 minutes. Open and gently fluff the biryani to mix the layers.
Chef's tips
Keep the rice slightly undercooked before layering. It finishes cooking with trapped steam during the sealed dum stage.
Ingredient substitutions
- mutton → chicken, reducing cooking time significantly
Storage
Refrigerate up to 2 days in an airtight container.
Reheating
Reheat gently with a sprinkle of water, covered, on low heat or in a steamer.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Boiling the rice completely before dum, which makes the biryani mushy.
Serving suggestions
Cooked Delhi-Style Mutton Biryani?
Sign in to save this recipe to a collection. Bookmarking works without an account — it stays on this device.
Sign in for collectionsSimilar recipes
Dishes with the same spirit, spice level and course.
More from Delhi
Cooking that shares the same kitchen and pantry.
Recipes using similar ingredients
Use what you already bought for this recipe.
