Thalassery Mutton Biriyani

Eid Mubarak !! 

Authentic Muslim style mutton biriyani from Thalassery. I used to make Thalassery chicken biriyani, here I got recipe from one of my Muslim friend and tried. You won't believe I liked it very much even tough I am not a meat lover. In Malabar region Mutton biriyani is very popular among biriyani loveres. The dish is based with ghee rice blended with spices and mutton. So here is traditional style Mappila / Malabar mutton biriyani recipe for you all to try during this Ramzan.

Ingredients

For masala

• Mutton 1 kg
• Ghee 100 gm
• Onion 8 nos, thinly sliced
• Tomatoes 4 nos, sliced
• Ginger 2 tbsp, crushed
• Garlic 2 tbsp, crushed
• Green Chilli 10 nos, crushed
• Black Pepper Powder crushed 1/2 tsp
• Red Chilli Powder 1tsp
• Garam Masala Powder / Biriyani Masala 2 tbsp
• Turmeric Powder 1/2 tsp
• Curd / Yogurt 1 cup
• Coriander Leaves 1 cup chopped
• Mint Leaves 1 cup chopped
• Salt

For Rice

• Jeerakashala / Kyma Rice 500gm (jeerakashala rice/ kyma rice is used in malabar Biryani preparation as the rice itself has a special flavour) . If you don't get jeerakashala or kyma rice then use basmati rice.
• Ghee 3 tbsp
• Cinnamon 2 inch pieces
• Cardamom 4 nos
• Cloves 5 nos
• Bay Leaves 3 nos
• Onion 1 medium size, sliced thinly
• Water 3 cups
• Salt
• Lemon Juice 1/2 tsp

Dum

•  Lemon Juice 1 tsp
• Cashew Nuts and Raisins 1/2 cup, roasted in ghee
• Onion 1 big one, Roasted
• Garam masala 1 tsp
• Ghee 1 tbsp
• Saffron Milk 2 tbsp, few strands of saffron soaked in 2 Tbspn of milk
• Min and Coriander Leaves Chopped 1/4 cup

Method

Heat ghee in a pan. Fry cashew nuts and raisins. Then fry onion with salt till crispy, not to burn. Mix 1 tsp of garam masala into this fried onion, roasted cashew and raisins and keep this aside

To Make Mutton Masala

Clean mutton pieces and drain water well and keep it aside. Heat a pressure cooker with ghee or oil on medium heat. Once the ghee is melted add thinly sliced onion and saute well. Add little salt and saute for 3 minutes. Now add crushed ginger and saute for few seconds. Add crushed garlic and saute for few seconds. Now add crushed green chilli and saute for 1 minute. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, black pepper powder and garam masala / biriyani masala powder saute for 1 minute. 

Add tomato and saute till it become soft.

Transfer fresh mutton to it. Add chopped coriander and mint leaves and salt. Mix well. Add curd now and combine well. Cover it and cook on medium low flame for 30 minutes. 

Now our masala is ready.  Just check the water in the masala, if there is more water remove some in a glass.  Switch off the flame.

To Make Rice

Wash and rinse rice well. Drain rice properly and keep it aside. 

Heat 4 Tbspn of ghee in a medium size sauce pan or biriyani pot. Add cinnamon pieces, cardamom, cloves, and bay leaves. Saute well.

Then add 1 Cup of onion, saute well. Add rice to it and fry well. Add salt now and combine well. 

Pour 3 Cups of boiling water and lemon juice  to it. Cook on low flame, till the water absorbed and the rice is 3/4 th cooked. 

To Put Dum 

Take bottom thick large sauce pan and apply ghee in the pot. Now add cooked mutton masala in it. Half portion of the rice evenly spread over the mutton masala. Sprinkle fried onions, coriander leaves, mint leaves, cashews, raisins, 1 tbsp of ghee and ½ tsp of saffron milk.

Repeat this process by using remaining rice and fried onion, ghee, roasted cashew nuts and raisins, chopped leaves and saffron milk.

Close the vessel (and seal the edges of the lid with all purpose flour dough or with aluminium foil). If possible keep something heavy on top of the pot. Leave it on the gas stove on low flame for 15 to 20 minutes. 

Open the lid and remove rice in one dish and mutton masala in another dish. While serving into a plate you can put mutton masala and rice together and serve. 

Tasty thalassery mutton biriyani is ready to serve. If need garnish with some more roasted onions, cashews and raisins. Serve hot with raita, dates pickle, coconut chammanthi. Enjoy..