Welcome to The Storied Recipe!
My podcast guest, Sri Bodanapu, shared this authentic Hyderabadi Mutton Biryani recipe with us. Sri featured this family recipe, passed down from her grandmother and mother, in her gorgeous family cookbook. After releasing her cookbook, she founded Heirloom Project so other families could easily and affordably create elevated, professional cookbooks from their own cherished family recipes.
Sri's words introduce this authentic Hyderabadi Lamb Biryani better than anything I could say:
This is among the most popular delights of Hyderabadi cooking, likely a result of Muslim influence in the city.
What sets this recipe - my grandmother’s tradition - apart is instead of mixing and cooking everything, this one is layered.
The beauty of the lamb is you cook it until it is almost falling apart, but only after marinating at least a full night to absorb the richness of the flavors.
It is a long process but well worth it. It is a dish fit for your very best guests. Make enough for two days’ worth, and you will not be disappointed when eating the
leftovers.
What to Expect from Sri's Biryani
- Hyderabadi Biryanis always feature caramelized or fried onions. Sri includes them between layers of her biryani and on top as well.
- Sri says perfectly cooked rice is essential to a good biryani. Carefully follow her recipe and tips for perfectly cooked rice every time.
- Sri pays very careful attention to the preparation of her lamb (or mutton). Marinate overnight for flavor, then slowly cook in a curry of spices, tomatoes, and onions until succulent and tender.
- Every authentic Hyderabadi Biryani Recipe is cooked "dum style" which means a seal is placed over the pot so the flavors of the meat curry can slowly infuse the rice.
- In Hyderabad, biryani is often served with a boiled egg on the side.
- A perfect biryani is easier to achieve with Sri's multi-step cooking process, where flavors and moisture can be adjusted all along the way. See below for the 5 critical steps to a perfect biryani!
6 Steps to Perfect Biryani
There are two ways to cook biryanis. The first is to put the raw meat and semi-cooked rice into a pot and cook very low and slow for hours. This is the "Kachi Dum Biryani" method.
The second is to pre-cook all elements, then layer and cook until the flavors meld. This is the "Pakki Dum Biryani" method.
Sri explains that the second is the easier and more reliable method. With her approach, we can control both the moisture and the flavorings of all the elements at every single step of the way. Here are the 6 major steps to her Lamb/Mutton Biryani.
- Marinate the meat overnight.
- Soak and cook rice.
- Meat Curry: Create a curry from spices, onions & tomoatoes, and slowly simmer the meat in this curry until it is perfectly tender.
- Slow cook the onions.
- Make a warm saffron milk.
- Finally, layer and cook together over indirect heat in a well-sealed pan.
Lamb vs. Mutton
- Lamb and mutton come from the same animal: the sheep
- Lamb is any cut from a sheep butchered before the age of one year.
- Mutton is any cut from a sheep butchered between two and three years of age.
- Because mutton is from an older animal, it can be tougher and richer in flavor. Both are mitigated, however, by a slow cook over low heat.
- Whichever you choose, the meat pieces should be small - about 1" x 1" - for the timing in this recipe to be correct.
Sri's Tips for Perfectly Cooked Rice
- First, choose Basmati rice. Sri says the brand of rice is not particularly important. I love my HUGE bag of Royal Basmati from Costco.
- Do not use Jasmine rice.
- Soak the rice at least 30 minutes in advance. Drain before cooking.
- The rice will absorb water in the soaking process, so reduce the water: rice ratio from 2:1 down to 1.5:1.
- Bring the water to a boil before adding the rice.
What is "Dum Style"
- The Dum Method is a technique developed by the Persians and spread to India during Mughul rule.
- It simply means creating a very tight seal on a cooking vessel and leaving the vessel on very low heat for a very long time.
- Traditionally, the dum - or seal - was made with a bread like roti or paratha. (Think: chicken pot pie.)
- Some people wrap their vessel in a towel OR place a towel over the pot before covering with the lid. Sri advises against this method as the towel tends to absorb too much liquid and dry out the rice.
- For lots more details, read this article "Techniques to Master the Art of Dum Cooking".
Origins of Biryani
- Biryani has Persian origins and first came to India during Moghul rule.
- Sri's region of Hyderabad still bears the influence of Persian rule, boasting gorgeous mosques and a biryani tradition that is famous around the world.
- Learn more from Sri’s episode on The Storied Recipe Podcast.
- This is an excellent and informative article about the Persian origins and long history of Biryani in India: Tracing the History of Biryani
Variations
- Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani Recipe - Use this recipe and replace the pound of lamb with a pound of chicken. I recommend thighs.
-
Hyderabadi Kachi Dum Biryani: This method involves layering the raw meat (rather than cooked mutton) with semi-cooked rice and cooking altogether for a longer time. Sri advises that her method is a little simpler because you can adust both the moisture and the flavor at every stop along the way.
-
Experiment with the whole spices in the lamb curry: Try coriander leaves, a bay leaf, green cardamom pods (rather than black), or star anise (rather than cloves).
-
Adjust the heat! I skipped the green chilis entirely. You may want lots more! You can also add more red chili powder. (Karishma chili powder is the most beautiful shade of red!)
What to Serve with Biryani
- Cucumber Raita
- Onion Raita
- Mirchi Ka Salan - Hyberadabi Chili Curry
- Naan, Roti, Aloo or this famous Paratha Roti
Equipment You May Need
- A Biryani Vessel is available, but not necessary
- Instead, you could choose a La Creuset or any heavy, deep bottomed pan like this Dutch Oven.
How to Store & Reheat
- Before storing, let cool to room temperature.
- If you'll eat within 3 days, just store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- If you're saving the Biryani for longer, separate into portion sizes that you will eat at one time. Seal the containers very well and place in the freezer.
- A day before eating the frozen leftovers, remove from the freezer and allow to defrost over 24 hours.
- Reheat by adding a little water to the rice. Microwave or look over low heat until warm. Will probably need to stir a time or two along the way.
Sri's Memories of Hyderabadi Lamb Biryani
My grandmother was an amazing cook and the only thing she really cared about in her domestic life and buying the best ingredients and making everyones favourite meals.
I grew up seeing her sitting on her kitchen floor in India in the 80's, surrounded by fresh produce and meats, cooking up a storm no matter the day of the week.
Her food was legendary in the community and every person was fed their favourite version of the dish at her home.
Lamb Biryani is a rice and meat dish that has its origins in Persia. Hyderabad (the city we are from) has a rich history of Persian rulers and as a result biryani became one of our staple dishes.
Slow cooked meat that has been marinated for 24 hours, is then flavoured with a variety of spices like cumin, black cardamom, mace and coriander, layered with par boiled rice and topped off with caramelised onions.
There is no better comfort food that this! My grandmother perfected this recipe and had it at every Sunday dinner and family gathering.
More About Sri
& Heirloom Project
When Sri's uncle challenged her to transform the hundred page Word document that sat on his computer into a real, bona fide, honest-to-goodness, hardback cookbook, she began a journey into creating a one-of-a-kind business. Sri's company, Heirloom Project, offers two paths to creating cookbooks that are professional, elevated, beautifully-designed, and made of the highest quality materials – all while remaining amazingly affordable. There is no minimum OR maximum on the number of contributors that can collaborate on each book and the copies you can print. So you can use Heirloom to crowdsource a cookbook from your extended family or any community. In this episode, Sri shares with us the story of becoming the woman who was both motivated and equipped to begin this remarkable business - plus LOTS of tips on making a world famous Biryani!
Heirloom Project
Sample Cookbook
Listen to Sri's Episode on The Storied Recipe Podcast:
151: How To Create Your Own Family Cookbook
Follow The Storied Recipe in Your Favorite Player
Recipe
Authentic Hyderabadi Mutton|Lamb Biryani
Ingredients
PROTEIN
- 1 pound Mutton or lamb, cut into pieces (about 1-inch by 1-inch)
MARINADE
- 1 teaspoon Chili powder
- 3 tablespoons Yogurt
- 3 teaspoons Ginger garlic paste
- 2 teaspoons Coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1/2 teaspoons Salt
CURRY**
- 4 tablespoons Olive oil or coconut oil or ghee
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon Garam masala
- 3 Cardamom pods
MASALA**
- 1 inch Cinnamon stick
- 2 large Yellow onions, chopped
- 2 Green chili peppers, or 2 jalapeños, or 2 serrano peppers
- 2 heaping teaspoons Ginger garlic paste
- 4 small Tomatoes
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- Handful chopped Cilantro leaves
- Handful chopped Mint leaves
RICE**
- 2 cups Basmati rice
TOPPINGS**
- 2 tablespoons Lime/lemon juice
- Pinch Saffron threads, soaked in
- warm Milk or water
- 2 Onions, cut lengthwise
- 4 tablespoons Oil for cooking the onions
Instructions
MARINATE
- Marinate lamb in the yogurt, ginger garlic paste and spices for a minimum of 1 hour or overnight.
PREPARE RICE
- Wash the basmati rice and soak in cold water for at least 30 minutes, then cook the rice and set aside. Typically, we add 2 cups of water for 1 cup of rice but here, add about 1 1/2 cups of water (3 cups total), since the rice would have absorbed some water when soaking. For biryani the rice should not be too mushy.
COOK LAMB MIXTURE
- Heat a heavy, deep pan on medium heat and add the oil. Once hot, add the cumin seeds and the whole garam masalas-cardamom, clove and cinnamon. Cook until they splutter.
- Add the onions and green chilies and sauté until the onions are golden brown and soft.
- Add the ginger garlic paste and sauté till the raw smell is gone.
- Add the diced tomatoes and cook until soft.
- Add the marinated lamb, salt, and half the handful of cilantro and mint leaves. Sauté for about 5-10 minutes.
- Then put on a well-fitting lid, turn the heat to low and cook for about 40 minutes to an hour, or until meat is well cooked and tender. Alternately, this step can be done in a pressure cooker or Instant pot for faster cooking time.
- Once the lamb is cooked, add the garam masala and check the seasoning to add more salt or spice, if desired.
- Add the rest of the cilantro and mint. Set aside.
CARAMELIZE ONIONS
- While the lamb is cooking, add 2 tablespoons of oil to a wide pan and cook half the onions on medium heat. Stir often until they caramelize. If you're in a rush, use more oil and deep fry. Once done, add to a napkin so the excess oil is absorbed. Cook the rest of the onions similarly.
MAKE SPICED MILK
- Lightly warm milk and add saffron. Allow to soak 30-60 minutes.
ASSEMBLE u0026 COOK BIRYANI
- To assemble the layered lamb biryani, use a heavy, deep pan like a Le Creuset or something similar. The biryani is about 4 layers-2 each of lamb and the rice.
- Start with a layer of lamb curry, then add a layer of rice atop it, and top with half of the caramelized onions, lemon juice, and a sprinkle of the saffron milk.
- Repeat the layering once more (lamb curry, rice, toppings), so that all the rice and curry is used up. Put the lid on the dish and put back on the stove on the lowest heat setting for about 10 minutes, so the rice absorbs all the flavors from the meat.
SERVE
- The Biryani tastes delicious on its own or with a side of yogurt. Enjoy immediately or for a couple of days.
Neena Rao says
Excellent. Thanks
admin says
Oh, I'm so glad you enjoyed Sri's recipe, Neena!! It worked great for us also!