Home-made Mutton Sindhi Biryani

Mutton Biryani Special

As you’ll know that me and my husband have north-south difference in culture. So when I came here, I went through the trials in modifying my taste buds with Pakistani cuisine – be it usual halwa puri or yakhni soup or even khatte aloo – the hurdle in search of Indian flavors were endless.

Hashim is love when it comes to cooperating – he gave me enough time to understand and evolve my interest towards Pakistani food. Since the time I have been familiar with the flavors of food from my husband side, I have been paying attention to the slow process of meat cooking. The style to infuse aroma and balance the ingredients in different style of recipes is fairly unusual. The long hours in preparation of nihari, the slow cooking method used in making daleem, the oh so wow scented flavors used in making korma, the pickle proportion in making achari and the extra care taken in boiling biryani rice. The fun part is that all of these dishes can be made either by using chicken, mutton or fish.

Since I have rolled up my sleeves in cooking Indian as well as Pakistani cuisine –  how can I miss to encourage myself in cooking my super favorite Sindhi Biryani. Be it, Mutton or Chicken – we just hog it with happiness. I started trying my hands in cooking Pakistani cuisine first, for hashim as he loves to eat all kinds of home-made non-veg dishes. As soon as I mastered these amazing recipes, I later leaned towards my yummy Indian food. And now, I can proudly feel that I can cook well – And remember if I can cook, so can you. So wear your cape and join along in making this yummy tummy biryani. Keep in mind, this recipe is lengthy, requires patience, time management but the final output is just stupendous. You will not regret the time spent and won’t mind in cooking this dish again and again! I bet that every bite will turn all your stress and problems into joyous time.

Home-made Mutton Sindhi Biryani

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 2 hours

Total Time: 2 hours, 15 minutes

Serves: 15

                                               

                               Ingredients:                                 

For Biryani Gravy:

1 cup of cooking oil

1 kg mutton

250g yogurt, nicely whisk

1⁄2 kg potato, chopped in large chunks, optional

3 medium size onions, half-moon sliced

1⁄2 kg tomatoes, moon sliced

1 ½ tablespoon ginger paste

1 ½ tablespoon garlic paste

4 teaspoons red chili powder, as spicy you like

6 bell peppers

2 tablespoons coriander leaves, finely chopped

2 tablespoons mint leaves, finely chopped

2 pinches orange food coloring

2 pinch of saffron

8-10 prunes

2 teaspoons salt, as per the taste

1 cup water          

Whole Spices:

10 cloves

12 whole black pepper

1 teaspoon heap cumin seeds

8 green cardamoms

2 cinnamon sticks

4 black cardamom pods

2 bay leaves

For Boiling Rice:

5 cups basmati rice, soaked in water for 1/2 an hour in advance

3 teaspoons salt

3 bay leaves

3 cinnamon sticks

2 black cardamom pods

1 tablespoon cooking oil

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Recipe:

• In a pan, add 1 cup cooking oil and fry the half-moon sliced onion and allow it to turn golden brown. Separate 1/4^th of fried onions and keep it aside.
• In the same oil, add 1 ½ tablespoons of ginger paste, 1 ½ tablespoons of garlic paste, sliced tomatoes, 10 prunes, red chili powder, whole spices list and salt to the remaining fried onions.
• Allow it to fry until the tomatoes become soft and gravy starts leaving oil.
• Then add meat, whisk yogurt and mix well. Cook on medium heat until the meat is tender and the water has evaporated. You can add ½ - 1 cup of water only if needed.
• On other side boil the potatoes until they're half cooked.
• As soon as the meat is tender, add green bell peppers, 2 tablespoons chopped mint leaves, 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves, and the half boiled potatoes to the meat. Simmer for 5 minutes. Adjust the seasonings, turn off the flame and keep it aside.
• In a deep vessel, gently add basmati rice into the boiling water with salt, 3 bay leaves, 3 cinnamon sticks, 2 black cardamom pods, 1 teaspoon lemon juice and 1 tablespoon cooking oil. Drain the water off when the rice is half done.
• In a bowl, mix orange food color and saffron with 3 tablespoons water.
• In a pot, brush cooking oil, add half of the biryani gravy and layer with the rice. Repeat the layering with the remaining biryani gravy and garnish the final layer with kept aside fried onions and pour in food coloring mixture.
• Close the lid in such a way that the steam remains intact inside the pot. Allow it to cook until the rice is done. Gently mix the biryani before serving. Serve hot with kachumbar or any salad of your choice.