Eid Mubarak to all of you! The air is filled with joy and sounds of celebration and laughter as many delicious dishes are prepared. As your loved ones gather for feasting and festivities, the highlight of your Eid al-Azha, also known as Bakra Eid, will surely be the aromatic and delicious mutton biryani for Eid al-Azha. Made with fragrant rice and delicious mutton, this dish symbolizes a blend of tradition and culinary delight. In fact, today is the perfect day to roll up your sleeves and make the perfect mutton biryani at home. Whether you are a cooking pro or new to the kitchen, making mutton biryani is not that complicated when you get the right guidance. Here are 5 tips to keep in mind when cooking mutton biryani at home!
Also read: When is Bakrid 2024: Date, significance, 5 easy biryani recipes for Eid-al-Azha feast
Photo Credit: iStock
5 Tips to Make the Perfect Mutton Biryani at Home for Eid-ul-Azha
1. Choose the best materials
Not just for Eid, but whenever you decide to make mutton biryani at home, make sure you choose good quality ingredients. Choose fresh, tender mutton pieces, preferably from the leg or shoulder. This will ensure that the pieces are juicy enough to soak up the marinade well. Also, make sure to cut the pieces evenly so that they cook evenly. This will also enhance the texture of the entire dish. For rice, choose basmati rice as it has long grains and a good aroma. Soak the rice 30 minutes before cooking, as this will make it cook more evenly and prevent it from breaking during cooking.
2. Prepare the spicy marination
To infuse flavour into the mutton, marinate it in a spice mix. Make a mixture of yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala and salt. This will add a deep flavour to it. For an extra dose of flavour, add a pinch of nutmeg powder to the marinade. After mixing the marinade with the mutton, leave it for at least 4-6 hours or overnight if possible. This will make the meat tender as the flavours penetrate deeply, infusing flavour into every bite.
3. Skill in cooking rice
To get the perfect blend of flavour and meat, boil the rice halfway. In simple words, cook the rice only till it is 70-80 per cent cooked. This step is crucial and the rice grains should be firm but partially cooked, as they will get cooked during the dum process. This will prevent the rice from becoming mushy and keep the grains separate. While boiling the rice, add whole spices like green cardamom, bay leaves, cloves and cinnamon to enhance the flavour of your mutton biryani. These spices will make the rice fragrant and aromatic.
Photo Credit: iStock
4. Layer and cook on dum
To cook biryani properly, it must be layered in a proper manner. Take a heavy bottom vessel and add a layer of marinated mutton to it. Then add a layer of partially cooked rice to it. Continue this process until the last layer is rice. This will ensure an even distribution of texture and flavour. In fact, add fried onions, chopped mint and coriander leaves between the layers of meat and rice. To get the characteristic colour and aroma of the biryani, pour saffron-infused milk or food colour mixed in milk on the top layer. Cover the vessel with a lid and close it tightly using dough to prevent the steam. Place it on a pan on low flame and cook for about 40-50 minutes.
5. Let it rest
Once your mutton biryani is cooked, leave it for 15-20 minutes. This is important as it will allow the flavours to infuse and the biryani to set. This process will make it easier for you to serve the biryani. Once done, gently mix the layers without breaking the rice grains. Make sure to use very light hands while doing this as it may also cause the meat to come off the bones. Serve your mutton biryani with raita and enjoy it!
Also read: Bakrid 2024: Apart from biryani and kebabs, try these 7 delicious recipes for the feast
Get the easy recipe for Mutton Biryani here.
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