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Mutton Biryani Recipe

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This mutton biryani recipe is both a timeless classic and comfort food at its best. Succulent pieces of marinated mutton, aromatic basmati rice, and a rich blend of spices come together to create a dish beloved by the royals of the Mughal court. A complex recipe that’s tricky to master, my easy five-step process will help you become an expert in no time.

Freshly cooked mutton biryani recipe is plated and ready to be served.

Biryani is so popular in Pakistan that many consider it the country’s national food. The rich and decadent layered rice dish was initially created to nourish army soldiers. Today, there are nearly 30 versions of Biryani, and new ones are constantly being created.

This mutton biryani recipe is by far my favorite and well worth the effort it takes to cook. If you're a fan of traditional Mughal recipes, try my recipes for nihari, chicken korma, beef pasanda, haleem, and zarda.

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Why you'll love this recipe

  • Authentic recipe—This mutton biryani recipe is made entirely from scratch using traditional techniques and authentic ingredients, ensuring a genuine Mughal dining experience.
  • Aromatic dish—This mutton biryani recipe layers aromatic ingredients at each cooking stage, taking you on a true gastronomic adventure.
  • Perfect one-dish meal - When Biryani is on the menu, you need little else to accompany it. This recipe is always a crowd-pleaser and ideal for a simple dinner with friends and family.
  • Can be prepped ahead of time - The korma can be made ahead of time and refrigerated or even frozen until the day you want to serve the biryani. Add the potatoes and rice the day of, and you're good to go.

Ingredient notes

The korma

Ingredients to cook a korma for a biryani recipes are laid out on a kitchen counter.
  • Onions - Thinly sliced yellow onions have a neutral taste and work best for this curry.
  • Mutton - This recipe uses goat meat called mutton in South Asia. The hind leg and shoulder are the best cuts, as the meat is succulent and tender.
  • Cooking oil - Any neutral cooking oil like canola, avocado, sunflower, or grapeseed will work well.
  • Yogurt - Use full-fat yogurt for a smooth and creamy texture in the korma. The yogurt also helps tenderize the meat as it marinates.
  • Tomatoes - Tomatoes add depth of flavor to the korma. I like to use Roma tomatoes as they're juicy and break down completely as they cook.
  • Aloo Bukhara - This is a South Asian variety of dried plums that add a delicious tang to the mutton biryani recipe.
  • Biryani Masala - The masala used in this recipe is made from scratch and adds a rich flavor and a heady aroma to the biryani. Preparing it takes just 10 minutes, and I highly recommend using this homemade blend.
  • Potatoes - Red potatoes are my favorite for curries like aloo gosht and biryani as they hold their shape well.

The rice

Ingredients to prepare rice for a biryani recipe are lying on a kitchen counter.
  • Basmati rice—My favorite rice for biryani is a long-grain variety called Sela Rice. The essence of flawless biryani is rice cooked through, yet each grain is separate.
  • Salt - It's essential to add salt to the rice when boiling it, or the mutton biryani recipe will be bland.
  • Whole spices - These are added to the rice as it cooks to infuse aroma.
  • Milk - I like to bloom my saffron in warm milk instead of water as the dairy product adds moisture and makes the rice light and fluffy.
  • Saffron - Adding saffron to this recipe is a must, but remember that a little goes a long way, and don't use more than the recommended amount.
  • Kewra is a traditional floral essence used in South Asian recipes. Combined with rose water and saffron, it provides the biryani with an authentic aroma. However, it can taste bitter when added in excess, so please measure this precisely.
  • Food coloring - Yellow food coloring adds elegance to the final plated mutton biryani recipe. While not essential, it's highly recommended.
  • Limes - Adding lemon or lime to rice brightens the white color. The contrast between the white and shades of yellow makes for a beautiful presentation.

Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients, measurements, and recipe instructions.

Substitutions & variations

  • Use different meat - Chicken and shrimp biryani are excellent options and take much less cooking time.
  • Make it with pre-made biryani masala—While the spice blend for this mutton biryani recipe only takes 10 minutes, you can use store-bought masala to eliminate a step.
  • Add some fried onions - Crunchy fried onions make a great topping and can be added as a garnish when serving.
  • Garnish with pomegranate seeds - While this is not traditional, I love sprinkling some on my biryani platter just before serving. They add a beautiful pop of color, a crunchy texture, and a delicious juicy and tangy flavor to the dish.

Step-by-step instructions

Marinating the meat

A marinade is being prepped for a mutton biryani recipe.
  • First step - Fry the sliced onions in oil until they are dark brown and crispy.
  • Second step -  While the onions are cooking, cut off the tops of your tomatoes, quarter them, and steam them with ¼ cup of water. After 10 minutes, mash the tomatoes into a thick puree.
  • Third step - Add ¼ cup of oil, fried onions, tomatoes, garlic, ginger, green chilies, yogurt, and biryani masala to a food processor or blender and puree.
  • Fourth step - Mix the meat and this marinade for the mutton biryani recipe and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

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Cooking the korma

a mutton korma with potatoes is being cooked for a biryani recipe.
  • Fifth step: Peel and quarter the potatoes, then fry them to brown and crisp the exterior. This will help them maintain their shape as they cook in the korma.
  • Sixth step - Remove the marinated meat and roast it in half a cup of oil for 5-10 minutes.
  • Seventh step: Add the aloo Bukhara and enough water to cover the meat, bring it to a boil, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes.
  • Eighth step - Uncover, dry all excess water, and add the fried potatoes. Mix everything and add ¼ cup of water. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes on low heat until the potatoes are cooked.

Cooking the rice

Rice is being cooked and then layered with a precooked korma for a biryani recipe.
  • Ninth step - Soak the Sela rice for at least 4 hours or overnight. If you're using regular basmati rice, soak it for no more than 2 hours. Drain the water and add the rice, salt, and whole spices to a cooking pot. Add fresh water until it's about 2 inches above the rice, and bring to a boil uncovered. Cook until the rice is about 80% done (about 15 minutes) and then strain.
  • Tenth step: Add the cooked korma to a wide cooking pot, layering it in a thin, even layer. Use a wide pot with a thick and heavy base for this mutton biryani recipe for best results.
  • Eleventh step - Top with the rice and add the aromatics to prepare for the final dum or steaming. Cover and seal the pot on all sides with foil, then place the lid on top. Turn the flame to its lowest setting and steam for 20 minutes. If you have an electric burner, it may be best to place a flat skillet on the stove and place the pot on top to help regulate the temperature better.
  • Twelfth step - Uncover and gently fold the rice to mix the layers of meat and rice, then serve your mutton biryani.

Expert Tips

  • Rice to Meat Ratio—The ideal ratio for this mutton biryani recipe is 1 pound of meat per 1 pound of rice (1 pound of rice is 2 cups).
  • Add a spice pouch - While tossing all the spices directly into the rice is okay, you'll have to pick them out later. It's much easier to wrap them in a small piece of cheesecloth and then pull the whole bag out at the end.
  • Use the proper cooking utensils - The best pot to cook biryani in should be wide and shallow, with a heavy base. Ensure the biryani isn't packed in too tightly, or the rice will clump.
  • Cook the Korma Ahead of Time - Cooking Biryani is complicated partially because of the many steps. I often cook my Korma a day ahead of time to save some time, especially if I’m cooking for many people. On the day I plan to serve the Biryani, I reheat the meat curry and add the potatoes to cook. While the potatoes are cooking, I prepare the rice and then layer, steam (dum), and serve!

Recipe FAQS

How Much to Cook Per Person

If you're serving just this mutton biryani recipe, the adequate amount is ½ cup of rice and ¼ pound of meat per person. If you have multiple other items on your menu, ¼ cup of rice and ⅛ pound of meat per person will be sufficient.

Undercooked Rice

If your rice is undercooked, pour ½ cups of water on top of it before you steam it, and steam for an extra five minutes. Turn the stove off and leave the biryani covered for an additional 10 minutes before you serve it.

Overcooked Rice

For overcooked rice, thinly layer it in a flat, shallow dish and let the steam evaporate. This will help dry the rice out before you steam the biryani.

Fixing the salt

If your biryani is too salty, serve it with some raita and kachumber salad prepared with less salt than usual. If you have added too little, mix some salt with a small amount of water and drizzle it on the Biryani when you steam it.

Storage & Reheating

Store any leftover biryani in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days and in the freezer for up to 1 month. To reheat, ensure the frozen biryani is defrosted in the refrigerator overnight. To reheat the biryani, use a microwave or place it in an oven-safe dish, cover it with foil, and heat at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes (depending on the quantity). Potatoes don't retain their texture when frozen, so you may have to remove them from the reheated biryani.

Other rice recipes you may like

For more Pakistani recipes like this, check out 20 popular Pakistani recipes. If you decide to try this recipe, Please don't forget to leave a rating and comment below! If you take a picture, tag me on Instagram! Thank You!

Mutton birayni is plated in a dark metal tray and served with raita and kachumber.

Mutton Biryani Recipe

Nosheen Babar
This mutton biryani recipe layers fragrant basmati rice and succulent goat meat cooked in a rich Mughlai spice blend for the ultimate meal.
5 from 6 votes
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Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
marination and rice soak 4 hours
Total Time 8 hours
Course Main Course
Cuisine Indian, Pakistani
Servings 8 servings
Calories 878 kcal

Ingredients
  

Biryani Masala Powder

  • 1 tsp coriander
  • 1 tsp white cumin
  • 1 tsp black cumin
  • 1 tsp fennel
  • 8 piece green cardamom
  • 4 piece black cardamom
  • 10 whole cloves
  • ½ inch cinnamon stick
  • 10 whole peppercorn
  • 4 piece mace
  • ½ piece nutmeg
  • 4 piece star anise
  • 10 whole dry red chillies
  • 4 whole bay leaf
  • 2 tsp salt (see notes)
  • 2 tsp red chili powder (see notes)
  • ½ tsp turmeric

Meat Marinade

  • ¼ cup cooking oil
  • 2 inch piece ginger
  • 2 tbsp garlic paste
  • 2 lbs goat meat (see notes)
  • 2 onions
  • 4 tomatoes
  • ½ cup yogurt
  • 2 green chilies
  • biryani masala

The Korma

  • ½ cup cooking oil (see notes)
  • 10 pieces aloo bukhara (see notes)
  • 2 potatoes

The Rice

  • 4 cups sela rice (see notes)
  • 2 tsp salt (see notes)
  • 4 cloves
  • ½ inch cinnamon stick
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4 peppercorns
  • ½ tsp black cumin

Biryani Dum

  • ¼ cup cooking oil
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 10 strands saffron
  • 1 tbsp kewra water
  • ½ tsp rose water
  • 1 tsp yellow food coloring
  • 1 lemon
  • 2 green chilies
  • ¼ cup mint
  • ¼ cup cilantro

Instructions
 

Biryani Masala Powder

  • Heat a non stick frying pan and dry roast all of the whole spices (see notes)
  • Grind the roasted spices to a fine powder
  • Mix in the salt, red chili powder and turmeric to the roasted mixture

Meat Marinade

  • Grind the garlic, ginger, and green chilies to a paste.
  • Slice the onions very thin, heat the ¼ cup oil add the onions fry till brown and crispy.
  • Quarter the tomatoes and steam them in ¼ cup water. Mash and cool to room temperature. (see notes)
  • Puree the ginger, garlic, green chilies, fried onions, tomatoes, yogurt, and biryani masala until you have a thick paste.
  • Marinate the goat meat with this mixture and set aside in the fridge for 2 hours minimum. (see notes)

The Korma

  • Once the meat has marinated for 2 hours, set it on the counter to come to room temperature while you prep the rest of the ingredients (see notes)
  • Soak the aloo bukhara in 1 cup of water to soften it a little bit
  • Peel, slice, and quarter the potatoes and fry them until the outside is brown and crispy. (see notes)
  • Heat ½ cup of oil, add the marinated meat and start cooking it.
  • Roast well for 5-10 minutes; add the aloo Bukhara and enough water to cover the meat. Cover, and cook on medium heat for 45 minutes.
  • Uncover, dry the liquid and add then add the fried potatoes and saute for 5 minutes.
  • Add ¼ cup of water and simmer until the potatoes are 80% cooked.
  • set the meat aside and start prepping to cook your rice.

The Rice

  • Soak the rice in about 3 times the water for 4 hours minimum (see notes)
  • Add the rice, salt, spices, and enough water to boil the rice. Boil for about 10-15 minutes, till the rice is about 80% cooked, and then strain it, discarding the whole spices. (see notes)

Biryani Dum

  • Soak the saffron in the milk for about 20-30 minutes.
  • Wash and trim the cilantro and mint as needed.
  • Slice the limes into thin slices.
  • Slice the green chilies lengthwise, in half or quarters, depending on their size.
  • Add the korma as the first layer. (see notes)
  • Top with the rice, completely covering the korma.
  • Drizzle the food coloring, saffron-infused milk, kewra water, and rose water on the rice.
  • Layer the lemons, green chilies, cilantro, and mint on top.
  • Cover with foil, making sure the pot is sealed tight.
  • cover your pot and reduce the flame to the lowest setting (see notes)
  • after 20 minutes, uncover carefully and gently fold to mix the korma and rice.

Notes

Salt and chilies - I've used sufficient quantities of both ingredients in my masala, but feel free to adjust these when you cook the korma. 
Meat - I use meat from the hind leg or shoulder for this recipe as it's very soft and succulent. 
Oil - Although the oil in this recipe may seem like a lot, it is essential to good biryani as it helps keep the rice grains separate.
Aloo Bukhara - A South Asian variety of dried plums are essential to the recipe.
Rice -
  • Which rice to use - Sela rice is ideal for biryani as it is very aromatic and has a long grain.
  • Salting the rice - The rice must be well-salted for the dish's flavor to come through. Two teaspoons of salt are essential to the recipe as the rice is strained, and the water is discarded.
  • Soaking the rice - The soaking time has been given with Sella Rice in mind. If you opt for traditional Basmati rice, only soak for up to two hours. A lot of water is needed as the rice expands during the soaking. Start with at least three times the water and check periodically to see if the rice has absorbed too much water and more needs to be added.
  • Cooking the rice - To cook correctly, there must be at least 30% more water than rice. Everyone has a different stove and cooking utensils, so to test if the rice is 80% cooked, take a grain and squeeze it between your thumb and forefinger. If it breaks into precisely two pieces, it's ready to be strained.
Dry roasting and grinding the spices -  Roast each spice separately for best results, as different ones have different burn points. 
Tomatoes - Steaming and mashing the tomatoes helps them break down and dissolve completely in the korma, improving the final consistency.
Marinating the meat - This is an essential step in the cooking process. The marinade's ingredients help tenderize the meat and produce the perfect korma texture and flavor.
The potatoes—The potatoes are fried to create a crisp coating that prevents them from becoming mushy. Make sure to cook them until they're about 80% done, as they will continue to cook after you turn the stove off and then again during the later steaming part. 
Cooking the korma -  The meat should be at room temperature to ensure it gets well roasted. It's best to add the meat in small batches, as adding it all at once lowers the oil temperature and prevents it from browning properly. The Korma's consistency must be perfect—not too dry or too liquidy—for a perfect biryani. 
Steaming the rice -  Ensure the korma is hot before layering the biryani. This will help create the steam, which is essential at this point. Turn the flame as low as possible to prevent the gravy from burning and sticking to the pot. If you have an electric stove, I recommend placing a flat griddle on the burner with the pot on top of the griddle. This will prevent the korma from scorching at the bottom. Make sure to seal the pot well with foil to prevent steam from escaping.
Dishing the biryani—When you dish the Biryani, fold it gently and spread it out on your platter so that the colored layers of rice and korma mix.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingCalories: 878kcalCarbohydrates: 102gProtein: 36gFat: 36gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9gMonounsaturated Fat: 21gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 1490mgPotassium: 1151mgFiber: 8gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 1228IUVitamin C: 35mgCalcium: 156mgIron: 6mg
Have you tried this recipe yet?Mention @Untoldrecipesbynosheen or tag #Untoldrecipesbynosheen!

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Comments

  1. Lyndsey

    I love mutton biryani, unfortunately not easily found here ? have to make do with goat. This biryani looks really delicious and traditional! I can imagine the aroma and the flavors! Your pictures are wonderful, the ingredients ones too. The mint one is my favorite and also clicks- https://www.a1indiancurry.sg/

    Reply

    • Nosheen Babar

      Hi Lyndsey,
      In Pakistan and India mutton usually refers to goat. This recipe can be cooked with lamb or goat. Hope you decide to try it and like it.

      Reply

  2. Arijita

    5 stars
    Thank you for the recipe. I tried biryani for the first time today following your blog. It turned out very yummy.

    Reply

    • untoldrecipesbynosheen

      Thank You Arijita! I'm glad you liked it and that it turned out well! I hope you try other recipes from my blog too!

      Reply

      • Mr. White

        Could I use oxtail instead of mutton ?

      • Nosheen Babar

        You can try it. I’ve never cooked oxtail personally but I’m sure it would work.

  3. yummy cooking & vlogs

    5 stars
    I am extremely inspired along with your writing talents and also with the layout to your blog.
    Is that this a paid theme or did you customize it yourself?
    Anyway stay up the excellent high quality writing, it
    is uncommon to look a great blog like this one nowadays..

    Reply

    • untoldrecipesbynosheen

      Thank you. Glad you like it ?

      Reply

    • Kim

      5 stars
      Love Pakistan. I have cook goat briyani using Shan briyani Masala few weeks ago to share with my colleagues. Was great. Now I am going to cook your recipe and cook more Pakistan food from you. Thanks for sharing

      Reply

      • untoldrecipesbynosheen

        Thank You Kim! I love Shan Masala too! Thank You for trying my recipe! Hope you like it!

5 from 6 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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