KOLKATA MUTTON BIRYANI - BIRYANI RECIPES - INDIAN COOKING

 Kolkattans are passionate about their mutton biryani. Kolkata has its distinct style of biryani. Kolkata biryani is on par with the best biryanis in India—including Lucknow-style biryani and Hyderabadi biryani. Kolkata biryani uses many spices.   However, it is still not spicy. A good Kolkata biryani should be moist. It does not need raita or salan. This type of biryani was introduced to Kolkata by the exiled Nawab of Awadh, Wajid Ali Shah.

 

 

Ingredients:

1 kg Mutton

 400 gm Potatoes

 500 gm Basmati rice (aged, long-grained, non-parboiled)

FOR THE BIRISTA

‍‍150 gm Onions

150 gm Vegetable oil

FOR THE BIRYANI MASALA

1.25 gm Green cardamom

0.75 gm Black cardamom

1.5 gm Cloves

0.5 gm Cinnamon

1.2 gm Nutmeg

1.75 gm Mace

2 g Shah Jeera

2 g Kabab Chini (tailed black pepper)

1 g Fennel seeds

3 g White pepper (whole)

1.25 g Black pepper (whole)

FOR MARINATING MUTTON

‍100 gm Yoghurt

10 gm Ginger

10 gm Garlic

20 gm Birista

8 gm Biryani masala

5 gm Kewra water

3 gm Red chili powder

20 gm Salt

3 gm Ground pepper

150 gm Water

FOR COOKING THE RICE

‍1.25 gm Green cardamom

1.5 gm Black cardamom

7 gm Cloves

1 gm Cinnamon

7 gm Fennel seeds

3 gm Bay leaves

3 kg Water

45 gm of Salt

FOR DUM

‍8-12 nos. of Bay leaves (to line the pan)

40 gm Alubukhara (dried plums)

5 gm Rose petals (optional)

15 gm Birista

5 gm Biryani masala (see above)

50 gm Grated khoya kheer ('mawa' or solidified milk)

200 gm Yakhni (broth)

5 gm Lime juice (from half a lime)

One pinch of Saffron (steeped in 20g warm milk)

One pinch of Yellow food color

180 gm Milk

5 gm Kewra water

5 gm Rose water

Four drops Meetha attar

30 gm Ghee

20 gm Butter

 

‍

RECIPE:

STEP I—FRYING POTATOES

Peel potatoes and apply a small quantity of yellow food color on them. Do not cut the potatoes.

Heat vegetable oil in a pan. Fry the potatoes until they brown at the edges all around.

Strain and set aside.

 

STEP II—MAKING BIRISTA

In the same oil used for frying potatoes, add sliced onions, a small handful at a time, to fry to golden brown color. This fried onion is called barista.

Divide the fried onions into 20 g and 15 g lots. Keep these lots aside.

 

STEP III—MAKING BIRYANI MASALA

Add all the spices in the given under 'biryani masala' to a pan. Gently toast them, stirring continuously.

 Grind the roasted spices to a fine powder in a mixer-grinder.

Weigh two separate portions of biryani masala—8 gm and 5 gm. Balance, if any, can be used for some other cooking.

 

STEP IV—MARINATING MUTTON

Peel the ginger and garlic and make a fine paste.

In a suitable bowl, mix well all the ingredients given under 'marinating mutton.'

Add the mutton pieces and mix well with the marinade, making sure to cover the mutton pieces well with the marinade.

Cover and set aside for 1 hour. Overnight marination is preferred.

 

STEP V—SOAKING RICE

Meanwhile, wash the rice well, and soak it in water for at least half an hour. After half an hour, strain the rice Fin a colander. Keep it aside.

 

STEP VI—COOKING MUTTON

After the mutton has marinated for 1 hour, transfer it to a suitable vessel.

Layer the fried potatoes at the bottom of the vessel, followed by the mutton on top

Add 1 liter of water and cook it on high heat. Cook till the mutton is 90% coked. Add more hot water if required.

Separate the mutton, potatoes, and yakhni. Keep aside the mutton and potatoes in separate dishes. The strained water is called 'yakhni' (a broth from mutton and spices cooked together). We will need 200 g of it, so weigh it and keep it aside.

 

STEP VII—COOKING BASMATI RICE

Place all the spices listed in the 'cooking the rice' section in a suitable cheesecloth pouch. Tie it up.

In a large pot,  Add 30 g salt to 3 liters of water

Bring to a boil. Add the cheesecloth pouch filled with spices and washed rice. Cook till the rice is 80% cooked. Remove the pouch and strain the rice.

Mirza Ghalib Vol 1&2

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