Mutton Dum Biryani
A celebration in a pot: tender goat or lamb slow-cooked in a rich, spiced masala, then layered with saffron basmati, fried onions and mint and sealed to finish on 'dum'.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Marinate
Mix the mutton with the yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, chili powder, , half the fried onions and the salt. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
- 1kg mutton
- 250g yogurt
- 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp
- half fried onions
- 2 tsp salt
✅ Done when: all the meat pieces are evenly coated
Cook the mutton
In a heavy pot (5-6 liters, about 24cm wide) heat the , add the tomatoes and cook 3 minutes. Add the marinated mutton, cover, and cook on low heat for 60-75 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender and the gravy is thick.
- 3 tbsp
- 2 tomatoes
- all the marinated mutton from step 1
✅ Done when: meat is fork-tender and the gravy coats the back of a spoon
Part-cook the rice
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Layer and seal
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Cook sealed, then serve
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Marinate
Mix the mutton with the yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, chili powder, , half the fried onions and the salt. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
- 1kg mutton
- 250g yogurt
- 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tbsp
- half fried onions
- 2 tsp salt
✅ Done when: all the meat pieces are evenly coated
Cook the mutton
In a heavy pot (5-6 liters, about 24cm wide) heat the , add the tomatoes and cook 3 minutes. Add the marinated mutton, cover, and cook on low heat for 60-75 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender and the gravy is thick.
- 3 tbsp
- 2 tomatoes
- all the marinated mutton from step 1
✅ Done when: meat is fork-tender and the gravy coats the back of a spoon
Part-cook the rice
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Layer and seal
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Cook sealed, then serve
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The Story Behind the Dish
Mutton biryani in the 'pakki' style — where the meat is cooked first and then layered with rice — is the tradition of Lucknow's Awadhi kitchens, known for subtle, fragrant biryanis.
In India 'mutton' usually means goat, whose rich flavour stands up beautifully to the long cooking.
⭐ Why It's Famous
For Eid, weddings and big family gatherings, mutton biryani is the dish everyone waits for.
💡 Fun Fact
Lucknow cooks traditionally seal the biryani pot with a rope of dough so not a wisp of steam escapes during dum.
Hyderabad & Lucknow
26.85°N, 80.95°E
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