Kolkata's Mutton Biryani: One of the Best & the game changer

 KOLKATA'S MUTTON BIRYANI 

Hello to all food lovers, let us talk about two extraordinary Biryanis which is not only famous in India but also due to its immense flavour of masalas, herbs and delicately soft meat taste with beautiful aroma it is loved all around the world. Made with aromatic rice, tender meat and a handful of masalas, the Kolkata Biryani has long been delighting the palates of the City of Joy since over a century now.

Kolkata Biryani can be identified by the use of eggs and potatoes which acts as a hallmark for the Kolkata Style Biryani. The Rice and meat are cooked separately in this style of Biryani. Kolkata Biryani is exceptionally light, low on essence and colour, and mildly spiced (Using just the right amount of spices to enhance the taste). It is also regarded as a treat for vegetarians since it has potatoes. In a huge handi, rice is steamed with cooked mutton, spices and the much loved browned potatoes. It is served with accompaniments like boiled egg, or gravy dishes like Chicken/Mutton Korma and changezi. 

While Kolkata Biryani can be found across Kolkata, the most talked about outlets for the authentic Kolkata Biryani are Dada boudi, Aminia, Arsalan, Paradise and Royal Indian Hotel. Whenever you set foot upon the City of joy, do make sure to check them out. 

Let us now learn how to prepare a Restaurant like Biryani at home

Nutrition Information

Serves   :   6  people

Serving size  : 250 g

Calories  :  1263

                                   Fat  :  54.3 g                                  

                    Saturated fat  :  20.7 g                              

                  Carbohydrates  :  120 g                              

                                  Sugar  :  31.2 g                              

                               Sodium  :  1007 mg                        

                                       Fiber   :  7.2 g                            

                                   Protein  :  70.7 g                          

                                 Cholestrol  :  235 mg                    

 Recipe type : Main 

Cuisine : Mughlai 

Prep. time : 9 hours

Cook time : 90 mins

Total Time :10 hours 30 mins

                                                                          

Ingredients & Instructions

Lets learn to make Biryani masala : 

 Dry roast the spices such as : Cinnnamon - 2, Black Cardamom -2 , Green Cardamom - 5, Clove - 4,

 Bay leaf -2, Nutmeg - 1, Shahi cumin seeds - 1 Tsp, Kebab chini -10, white pepper -10 . Once cooled , 

make powder of the spices. Around 2 Tbsp of this powder will be used in the biryani. Store the remaining

masala in airtight container for further use.

Marinating the mutton :

Marinate Mutton with papaya glue and 1 Tbsp salt  for 2 hours . Mix onion pate, ginger paste, garlic paste, 

green chili paste and also crushed Birissta along with plain curd, sweet curd, and also sahi jeera paste with 

1/4 Tbsp salt. Add 1 tbsp of biryani masala as well along with and marinate the mutton with the spices for 

for 6 hours.

Making of Birista & fried Potato :

Finely chop onions then heat oil pan, fry onions till they become crisp then strain from the oil. On the other side,

peel and cut potatoes into half. If using medium- sized potatoes keep those whole. Then marinate potatoes  

with a mixture of yellow food colour and 1/4 Tbsp salt. Heat the same oil used for making Barista. Temper the

 oil with Cinnamon, 1 Black Cardamom, 2 Cloves, and green Cardamom. Fry potatoes until those are golden in 

colour and 70% cooked.Add 1/2 Tbsp Biryani masala to it as well. Then strain fried potatoes from the pan. 

Use the same oil for cooking mutton.

Cooking of Mutton :

Heat Ghee and the spiced oil used in frying onion and potato in a deep bottom pan and temper it with a bay 

leaf and dry red chili. Add marinated mutton with the marinade and mix. Cover the pan with a lid and cook 

over low flame for around 40 minutes or till the mutton is done 80%. You do not need to add water. Mutton 

will be cooked in own water. Once the cooking is done the pan will have cooked meat and the oily substance 

separated. This oily substance is known as "Tahr".  Separate the Tahr when the meat is hot from the pan 

and keep it aside. This makes the biryani flavorful.

To make Akhni water & cooking the rice :

Take 3 ltrs of water in a vessel. Take the spices mentioned under the head "Akhni Masala" and make a   

"Potli using a fresh cloth with the spices". Boil the spice potli along with the water for around 30 minutes.

The water will change colour and will turn light brown in colour. Meanwhile, wash rice 2-3 times under running 

water. Soak rice for the time water is boiling. Add 2 Tbsp Salt to the rice is done 2/3. Switch the flame off and 

drain the water. Spread cooked rice over a plate.

Assembling the Biryani :

Warm the Tahr before using again . Mix Kesar and a pinch of yellow food color with milk after crushing it using 

a mortar and a pestle. Take 2 Tbsp ghee and coatthe inner side of a handi with the ghee. Take around 15 Bay 

leaves and place those. Pour cooked mutton with the gravy. Top it with 1/3 of the kesar milk and a drop of mitha 

Itr followed by 1 Tbsp of  Tahr and some ghee again. Add keora water as well. Again add rest of the rice followed 

by crumbled khowa and aloo Bukhara. Sprinkle 1/3 of the Biryani masala followed by 1/3 of the kesar milk 

and a drop of mitha Itr followed by remaining ghee and Tahr. Cover the Handi with a lid and seal it with soft 

whole wheat flour dough. Keep the flame on the lower side and place a tawa  over the heat. Place the handi

on the top of the tawa and cook for around 15 minutes. The dough will be tough after 15 minutes and you 

can break it using your fingers. Switch the flame off and do not open the seal for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes

 open the seal. Using a spatula tightly mix the biryani while serving but not before that.

I hope you liked the information above and will give it a try to make this flavorful delicious Biryani.