Kacchi Biryani

Kacchi Biryani (Dhaka-Style Mutton Biryani)

A festive layered biryani where raw mutton is marinated, then cooked with par-boiled rice and potatoes under a sealed lid, resulting in tender meat and fragrant rice. This is the star of Bangladeshi feasts.

Prep

30 min

Cook

90 min

Total

120 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •1 kg (2 lb 3 oz) mutton (bone-in, cut into 5 cm pieces), goat or lamb
• •200 g (7 oz) plain yoghurt, thick, whisked
• •30 g (1 oz) ginger-garlic paste, about 2 tbsp
• •2 tsp salt, adjust to taste
• •1 tsp red chilli powder, or to taste
• •1 tsp turmeric powder
• •1 tsp garam masala powder
• •2 tbsp lemon juice
• •500 g (1 lb 2 oz) basmati rice, soaked 30 minutes, then drained
• •400 g (14 oz) potatoes, peeled, halved
• •100 g (3½ oz) ghee, melted, plus extra for greasing
• •4 whole bay leaves
• •6 whole green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• •6 whole cloves
• •2 whole cinnamon sticks, 5 cm each
• •1 pinch saffron threads, steeped in 2 tbsp warm milk
• •1 large onion, thinly sliced and fried until golden, for garnish
• •milk, ¼, warm, for saffron
• •1 cup (240 ml) water, for par-cooking rice

Steps

1. 1 In a large bowl, combine mutton, yoghurt, ginger-garlic paste, 1½ tsp salt, red chilli powder, turmeric, garam masala, and lemon juice. Mix well, cover, and refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight.
2. 2 Heat 2 tbsp ghee in a large pot over medium heat. Add bay leaves, cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon. Sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. 3 Add 1 litre (4 cups) water and 1 tsp salt to the pot. Bring to a boil. Add the soaked rice and par-cook for 5-6 minutes, until the rice is about 70% cooked (still firm in the centre). Drain and set aside.
4. 4 While rice cooks, lightly fry the potato halves in a little ghee until golden on the cut sides (optional, helps them hold shape). Set aside.
5. 5 Taking a heavy-bottomed pot (or Dutch oven) with a tight-fitting lid, grease the bottom with ghee. Spread half of the marinated mutton evenly in the pot.
6. 6 Top the mutton with half of the fried potatoes. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and a little garam masala.
7. 7 Spread half of the par-cooked rice over the meat-potato layer. Drizzle with half of the remaining ghee and half of the saffron milk.
8. 8 Repeat the layers: remaining mutton, remaining potatoes, remaining rice. Drizzle with remaining ghee and saffron milk.
9. 9 Optional: garnish with fried onions on top.
10. 10 Seal the pot: mix ½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour with 3-4 tbsp water to make a stiff dough. Roll into a rope and press it around the rim of the pot. Place the lid on top and press down to create an airtight seal. (Alternatively, use a heavy lid and place a weight on top.)
11. 11 Cook on high heat for 5 minutes, then reduce to the lowest heat possible. Cook for 60-75 minutes. Do not open the lid during this time.
12. 12 After 60 minutes, check for doneness: insert a knife into a piece of mutton – it should be tender and easily pull away from the bone. The internal temperature of the meat should be at least 71°C (160°F). If not done, reseal and cook for another 10-15 minutes.
13. 13 Once done, remove from heat and let rest, sealed, for 10 minutes. Then open the lid, gently fluff the rice with a fork, and serve hot with a simple salad or raita.