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Thalassery Mutton Dum Biryani - Malabar Mutton Biryani
and Biryani Chammanthi-Chutney
What kind of biryani is your favorite? Have you tried any unusual variants?
Usually our sunday menu goes for pot meal...Ever since my velliyamma (aunt) handed over this recipe to
me, this has been a regular visitor on our dinning table, this dish is very much enjoyed by my family and we
simply love it...I'm proud to say that I was always been around with such gifted cooks and of course, I
inherited my passion of cooking from these great cooks from my family.
Yes not only my mom, my aunt (mom's elder sis) is also a fantastic cook.This biryani is one her signature
dish. She prepares this at her home quite often and whenever when we visit their place, she'll make sure
that this will be there in menu and we love it when she prepares it, oh my! It taste sooooo delicious...I
cannot describe it better! and its not only my opinion, but anyone else who ever had tasted her dishes at
least once would vouch for that..I have been lucky enough to taste her yummy dishes many times and one
my favorites among them are her biryani, hence I got the recipe and her secret method for making
this...but I really dont know if I will ever be able to create her taste in my kitchen, even if I cook exactly like
her, I feel something is missing...that's we call kaipunyam in malayalam that means "midas touch" /"blessed
hand"...
Coming to the recipe part now, as mentioned in the title, this biryani is the most popular and widely
prepared in thalassery, a city on the Malabar Coast of Kerala in South India. There are varaties of biryani
are prepared like Hydarabadi biryani, Chettinadu Biryani, Mughal Biryani, Kashmiri Biryani, etc..list goes
on, but this Kerala Thalassery style biryani is one of the popular and most tastiest decent biryani. Mlange
of rice and loads of exotic spices that blend together to give it that unforgettable taste...Ok I know what
your thinking now, what makes this biryani so special & unique ? The style of preparation and the rice
used to make this biryani gives a unique delicious taste...it's special kind of rice called
Jeerakasala/Jerrasamba rice, but I made it with basmati rice because, I couldn't get that kind of rice
anywhere here in US. If you have access to jeersala rice use them instead for a more delicious taste or use
basmati rice, either way, it taste delicious!
If you havent tasted the Thalassery Dum Biryani, what are you waiting for ?? Do give it a try, you are going
to love this rich flavorful rice...Enjoy !
Thalassery Mutton Dum Biryani Recipe - Malabar Mutton Biryani Recipe and Biryani Chammanthi -
Chutney Recipe
Preparation Time : 1 hour
Cooking Time : 1 to 11/2 hour
Serves : 6
Ingredients :
For the Mutton /Goat Masala :
Mutton /Goat /Lamb : 2 lb /1 kg (Mutton may be substituted with chicken or beef)
Onions : 6 sliced
Green Chilies : 20 -25 (depending on spice level)
Ginger : 1 big piece
Garlic : 2 tbsp (crushed)
Red Chili Powder : 1 tsp
Turmeric Powder : 1/2 tsp
Tomato : 2 big (chopped)
Yogurt /Curd (beaten) : 1/2 cup
Cloves : 2
Cinnamon : 1 inch stick
Star anise : 1
Bay leaves : 1 or use Garam Masala Powder : 1 tsp
Lemon juice : juice of 1 lemon
Water : 1 cup
Ghee + Oil : 1/4 cup
For Rice :
Jeerakasala Rice /Basmati Rice : 4 cups
Water drained from the cooked mutton : 3 cups
Warm Water : 4 cups
Lemon juice : from 1 lemon
Cinnamon : 1" stick
Cardamom : 4
Cloves : 4
Ghee : 1/4 cup
Oil : 1/4 cup
Salt to taste
To Garnish :
Cashew nuts : handful
Raisins : handful
Onion : 2 (very thinly sliced)
Rose essence : 1 tsp mixed in 1 tbsp water
Safforn : coupled of pinches, mixed in 3 tbsp warm milk
Biriyani Masala or Garam Masala Powder : 1 tbsp
Ghee : 1/4 cup
Coriander Leaves : handful (chopped)
Mint Leaves : handful (chopped)
For Sealing :
Wheat flour / All purpose flour : 2 cups
Water required
How to make Thalassery Mutton Dum Biryani - Malabar Mutton Biryani:
Cooking the Mutton Masala :
1. Wash & clean the mutton pieces well. Keep aside.
2. Blend ginger,garlic,green chillies to coarse paste and set it aside.
3. Marinate the mutton with chilli powder, turmeric powder and all whole garam masala or garam masala
powder along with corasely blended ginger garlic paste and yogurt and set it aside for 1/2 to1 hour. (Note
: For best result marinate the mutton overnight in the refrigerator; so that all the flavors will get into it.)
4. In the pan, heat ghee + oil, add the sliced onions saute it till it becomes translucent.
5. Add the chopped tomatoes and fry till the masala is cooked through and mushy.
6. Now add the marinated mutton pieces, salt and add 1 cup of water and lower the flame, adjust the
salt and cook covered for 15-20 minutes or until the gravy becomes little thick and mutton is tender (or)
pressure cook it for 3-4 whistle.
7. When it done or when the pressure settled down open the lid and drain the water/stock from the mutton
masala through a strainer and keep the water/stock and the mutton separately and set it aside.
Cooking the Rice :
1. Wash the Jeerasala Biryani rice /Basmati rice with water and drain it .
2. In a thick bottom vessel, add the ghee and oil to it.
4. Add the whole spices; cinnamon, cardamom and cloves to the pan and saute for a min.
5. Add the drained briyani /basmati rice and saute for few minutes.
6. Add the water/stock drained from the cooked mutton, if the water from the cooked mutton measures less
than 3 cups, add plain extra water to make it to 3 cups and add the warm water to the rice (Note : By
doing this way the rice will taste more tastier and this is secret tip, I learned from my aunt.)
7. Add the lemon juice and cook the rice at high heat till the water starts boil and cover the lid.
8. Now reduce the heat to low and cook till the steam comes out of the rice almost stops and all water is
absorbed (Note : Do not open the lid too often.)
For Garnish :
1. Heat ghee and fry the thinly sliced onion till golden colour and crispy for about 15 minutes; sprinkle little
sugar to caramelize, remove and drain on to the paper towel.
2. Now fry cashews and then raisins until they turn golden color, drain and remove on to the paper towel
and keep it aside. (Note : Save the leftover ghee for layering the briyani)
3. Mix few saffron strand in 3 tbsp warm milk and 1tsp of rose essence with 1 tbsp of water and keep it
aside.
Now it is time for Dum
Dum is the process of layering the meat and rice, then slow cooking it by sealing the vessel with a layer of
dough, and is cooked on dum; steaming over coals. Since we do not have coals here is alternative ways to
do it.
Cooking in Oven :
1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F/180 degree C.
2. Meanwhile make a dough out of the wheat flour / maida with little water, the same way you would do it for
chappathi and set it aside.
3. In a oven proof dish, grease your cooking dish and spread half of the mutton masala and with some
cooked rice,
4. Sprinkle biryani masala , fried cashews, raisins, fried onions, chopped coriander leaves and mint
leaves, sprinkle left over ghee and few drops of saffron milk and 1 tsp of the rose essence over the rice as
the final layering. Repeat this process.
5. Close with tight fitting heat resistant lid; seal the edges of the lid with above prepared dough. (Note :
There should not be even the slightest opening.) (or) if you don't prefer sealing it with dough, then close it
with aluminium foil, crimp along the side and and bake it for 20 mins.
6. When it is done, remove and keep the dish covered until serving.
Cooking in Stove top :
1. Place flat cast iron skillet or tawa on the lowest burner of your stove. The flame should be at the lowest
setting.
2. Layer the meat and rice; sprinkle biryani masala , fried cashews, raisins, fried onions, chopped
coriander leaves and mint leaves, sprinkle left over ghee and few drops of saffron milk and 1 tsp of the
rose essence over the rice as the final layering. Repeat this process.
3. Close with tight fitting heat resistant lid; seal the edges of the lid with above prepared dough. (Note : Do
not let any steam escape) and place the biryani vessel on top of the iron skillet or tawa and cook on low
heat for 15 mins and turn off the flame.
4. Let it rest unopened on tawa for another 15 mts and break open the seal; now dum is also done.
Serve hot with Raita, Pickle or Biryani Chammanthi (recipe below) and Pappadam on the side and Enjoy!
Notes :
Mutton may be substituted with chicken or beef or pork as u wish.
Over night marination of mutton /meat in refrigerator makes it more juicy and flavorful.
Actual this biryani recipe calls for jeerakasala rice(special rice used in Kerala for biryani), but I
made it with basmati rice because, I couldn't get that kind of rice anywhere here.If you have access
to get jeerakasala rice,then use them more traditional delicious taste.
I prefer to use fresh fried onions instead of store bought as it gives a great taste to dish.
Always sprinkle corainder and mint leaves as final layer over the rice, which makes the biryani taste
more flavorful.
Related Posts :
Mutton Biryani
Meen/Fish Biryani
Prawns /Shrimp Biryani /Chemmeen Biryani
Chicken Biryani - Kerala Style
Egg /Mutta Biryani
Neychoru/Ghee rice
Click here for more Rice Recipes
Biryani Chammanthi Recipe - Biryani Chutney Recipe
Preparation Time : 3 minutes (No cooking involved)
Serves : 4
Ingredients :
Grated Coconut : 1 cup
Mint leaves : 2 tbsp
Coriander Leaves /Cilantro : 2 tbsp
Green chillies : 2
Yogurt : 2 tsp
Salt to taste
How to make Biryani Chammanthi Recipe - Biryani Chutney Recipe :
1. Blend everything except yogurt to a smooth fine mixture.
2. Transfer and mix it with yogurt; adjust the salt and serve with Biryani and Enjoy !
Check here for more Chammanthi /Chutney Recipes
Happy Cooking!
Sangeetha