Thalassery Mutton Dum Biriyani, Malabar Mutton Dum Biriyani

Initial Preparation:

1. Clean and wash the mutton pieces. Drain the water completely and set aside.
2. Grind together the ginger, garlic, green chillies mentioned in 'For marination' and make a coarse paste.
3. In a large bowl add in the washed mutton pieces, prepared ginger-garlic-green chilli paste and all the other ingredients mentioned under 'For marination'.
4. Mix well and refrigerate it for at-least 2 hrs (keep it overnight or 6-8 hrs for best results).
5. In a pan heat 2 tablespoon ghee, add in the thinly sliced onion mentioned in 'For Layering & Garnishing' and fry till golden color and crispy. Remove from ghee and set aside.
6. In the same pan, fry cashew nuts, then raisins until light golden color. Remove from ghee and set aside.

Mutton Masala Preparation:

1. Heat ghee + oil/dalda in a pressure cooker and sauté the sliced onion till it becomes translucent.
2. Now add the chopped tomato and cook till the tomatoes are mashed well.
3. Add in the marinated mutton pieces along with the marinated masala, required amount of water, salt and combine well.
4. Cover the pressure cooker and cook till the mutton is tender or 3-4 whistles over medium heat.
5. Switch off the flame and let it cool. When the pressure is settled down, open the cooker and take 1 ½ cup gravy/stock and keep it aside.
6. Check for salt. Cook till the remaining gravy becomes thick. Set aside.

Rice Preparation & Layering :

1. Wash and soak the rice for 30 minutes. Drain the water completely; Set aside.
2. In a cooking pot, heat one tablespoon of ghee. Add all whole spices mentioned under 'For rice' and fry for few seconds.
3. Lower the flame, pour 1 ½ cup of reserved mutton gravy/stock, enough water to cook the rice, lemon juice and salt into the pot and bring to boil on medium-high heat. When it starts boiling, add the soaked rice and continue cooking. Check for salt.
4. In a biriyani pot/oven proof dish, add 1 tablespoon of melted ghee and spread the ghee evenly to the bottom of the pot. Then add half of the prepared mutton masala, and spread it evenly.
5. When the rice is ¾ done(refer notes), layer half of the rice over the mutton masala layer.
6. Then layer the left over mutton masala. Spread half of the toppings (fried onion, cashew nuts, raisins, ¼ teaspoon garam masala, chopped coriander and mint leaves).
7. Then layer the rest of the rice on top of it. Spread the left over toppings.
8. Finally, pour 2 tablespoon of melted ghee and the rose water on top.

Dum Preparation :

Cooking in Oven :

1. Close the oven-safe dish with a tight fitting oven-safe lid - OR - Cover it with an aluminium foil. Seal the edges by crimping the foil.
2. Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. Place the sealed oven proof dish in the oven and bake it for 20 mins.
3. When it is done, remove and keep the dish covered until serving.

Cooking over Stove top :

1. Close the biriyani pot with a lid, seal the edges of the lid with the prepared dough without even the slightest opening.
2. Place the sealed biriyani pot in the stove. Cook till the steam comes out from the dough seal or for about 20-25 minutes on low flame.
3. Once the steam comes out from the dough seal or after 20-25 minutes, switch off the flame and set aside the biriyani pot unopened for 10 minutes.
4. Then open the dum, just mix the rice and mutton pieces from the bottom of the pan using a long spoon.
5. Enjoy the biriyani, serve hot with Raita, Pickle and Pappadam on the side!

Notes:

• The right consistency of the rice matters for a good biriyani. So don't overcook the rice.
• How to check the right consistency of the rice?
  • Just take out a grain of rice from the boiling water, and press it in between your thumb and forefinger. If the grain breaks into 3 parts, that's the right consistency.