My obsession with coconut milk took on a whole new level when I donned the Chef’s hat to try out coconut milk biryani. However complicated it may sound, this was one of my utmost favorite meals and super simple to make. The coconut milk added a different dimension to the old school biryani and a lingering aftertaste made it swell!
Ingredients –
- Mutton – 750g
- Rice – 2 cups, soaked
- Coconut milk – 4 cups
- Onions – 4, big + 1 for garnish
- Ghee
- Cinnamon stick – 2-inch piece
- Bay leaves – 2, full leaves
- Red chilly powder – 1 tsp
- Turmeric powder – 3 tsp + 1 tsp, for marination
- Coriander powder – 2 tbsp
- Saffron – 1 tsp
- Coriander leaves – to garnish
- Salt – to taste
- Lemon juice – 2 tsp, to marinate
Method –
- Wash the mutton thoroughly, add lemon juice, turmeric powder and a pinch of salt. Coat the meat well and set aside for 3 to 4 hours.
- Peel the onions and roughly chop 4 onions. Thinly slice the other onion to be used as garnishing later.
- Add the mutton in a pressure cooker, add water and cook for ten minutes or till the mutton is half cooked.
- Heat ghee in a thick bottom kadhai/ pan. Fry the thinly sliced onions until golden brown and crunchy. Set aside.
- Add more ghee if need be, add cinnamon sticks and bay leaves. Cook for about a minute.
- Add the onions, cook till transparent. Add red chilly powder, turmeric powder, and coriander powder, cook for 10 minutes.
- Add salt and mix well (Be sure to take into account rice and the sweetness of coconut milk, so preferably add salt on the higher side)
- Add the mutton and cover and cook for 5 minutes. Keep adding water and cook the mutton until it is succulent and bhuna hua as per your liking. This usually takes me 1-1/2 hour.
- Add the soaked rice and mix well. Cover with coconut milk and bring to a boil.
- Simmer and cook till the rice is completely done.
- Add liquid saffron selectively, top with fried onions and fresh coriander.
Your biryani is ready to be polished off.