White Mutton Biryani Recipe
If you’ve never had it, you have missed a lot, so let’s introduce you to a White Mutton Biryani Recipe. You can find this dish in India and in Pakistan; it’s made with tender lamb, fragrant basmati rice, freshly ground spices, and a special layer of tomatoes, lemon, and herbs. Since it is a white biryani, we don’t use anything that adds significant color, like turmeric, saffron, or food coloring.
A Biryani That Reminded Me of My Childhood
When I was a child, my family traveled through India by train. My father would sometimes buy us biryani from the railway stations for lunch.
The biryani came wrapped in white paper, then newspaper, and was tied tightly with thin brown thread. It was delicious, although it usually needed more salt. We always carried a salt shaker because the food we bought during our train journeys was rarely salty enough!
Years later, I found a white biryani recipe and made a few changes. I wasn’t trying to recreate the biryani from my childhood; in fact, I didn’t even know that it was called a white biryani. But from the first bite, the memory rushed back.
I asked my sister to taste it without telling her what it reminded me of. She took a bite, smiled, and told me it tasted like what our dad used to buy from the train station! We both laughed because we remembered other funny incidents about the same thing, and I was so happy that, after many years, I shared that same experience with my sister.
White biryani is delicious, but for my sister and me, it is part of the moments we share with loved ones.
What Makes This White Biryani Different?
Unlike biryani recipes that use saffron, turmeric, or food coloring, this recipe gets its flavor from freshly ground spices, fried onions, herbs, and a little lemon.
The biryani has three layers:
- Meat and gravy: Bone-in lamb cooked until tender with ghee, onions, and aromatic spices.
- Tomato and herb layer: Tomatoes, lemon, curry leaves, mint, coriander, and green chilies add moisture and a little tanginess.
- Basmati rice: Mostly white, separate grains that absorb some of the gravy during the final steaming.
The tomato layer is particularly important. It adds moisture and flavor to the lower rice grains, giving them some of the tanginess you would normally get from the gravy or achar served alongside biryani.
How to Make White Mutton Biryani
Step 1: Prepare the Pastes and Spices
Grind the garlic, ginger, and green chilies with a little water into a paste.
In a separate spice grinder, grind all the ingredients listed for the biryani spice mix until fine.
Set both aside.
Step 2: Fry the Onions
Heat the ghee in a deep pot over medium heat.
Add the thinly sliced onions and fry until golden brown. Remove approximately 2 tablespoons of the fried onions and set aside. Carefully remove about 4 tablespoons of the onion-flavored ghee and reserve it for the final layer.
Step 3: Cook the Lamb
Add the lamb to the pot and fry until the meat develops a few light brown patches.
Add the ginger-garlic-chili paste, freshly ground biryani spice mix, black cardamom, star anise, bay leaf, and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until some of the ghee separates and rises to the surface.
Pour in enough boiling water to cover the meat. Cook until the lamb is tender. Mine took approximately 50 minutes.
Add a little more boiling water if needed, but don’t add too much.
Important: When the lamb is tender, leave no more than ¾ cup of gravy in the pot. Too much liquid can make the rice soggy during the final steaming.
Step 4: Cook the Basmati Rice
While the lamb is cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil. The water should be deep enough to cover the rice by approximately 5 inches.
Add the star anise, bay leaf, and salt. Add the soaked, drained basmati rice and cook for about 9 minutes.
At this stage, the rice should be cooked enough to eat but still slightly firm. It should not be hard or crunchy.
This is intentional because the rice will continue cooking during the final steaming stage.
Drain the rice thoroughly and set aside.
Step 5: Prepare the Tomato Layer
In a bowl, gently combine the tomato slices, lemon slices, curry leaves, chopped coriander leaves, mint leaves, and whole green chilies.
Spread this mixture evenly over the cooked lamb and gravy.
Do not stir the tomato layer into the meat.
Sprinkle half of the reserved fried onions over the tomato mixture.
Step 6: Layer the Rice
Spread the drained basmati rice evenly over the tomato layer.
Sprinkle the remaining reserved fried onions over the rice.
Drizzle the reserved onion-flavored ghee over the top.
Step 7: Steam and Rest
Cover the pot and cook over the lowest heat for 5–7 minutes.
Turn off the heat and let the pot rest, covered, for another 15 minutes before serving.
During this time, the rice finishes cooking gently, and some of the gravy and tomato juices flavor the lower grains. The fried onions also release their aroma into the rice.
When serving, most of the rice will remain white, while the grains near the meat will have absorbed some of the gravy.
Serve with cucumber yogurt salad.
Tips for Making the Best White Mutton Biryani
- Cook the lamb until tender. Don’t rely only on the 50-minute cooking time. Different cuts of lamb may need more or less time.
- Keep the gravy under control. No more than ¾ cup should remain before layering. The tomato layer will also release moisture as the biryani steams.
- Don’t overcook the rice before layering. After about 9 minutes, it should be cooked but still slightly firm. This lets the grains absorb moisture without becoming mushy.
- Keep the layers separate. Don’t stir the tomato mixture into the meat gravy or mix the rice into the meat before steaming.
- Use the reserved onion-flavored ghee. It adds flavor and aroma to the upper rice layer.
- Allow the biryani to rest. Keep the pot covered for 15 minutes after turning off the heat. This lets the rice finish steaming and the flavors settle.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why Is It Called White Biryani?
This biryani doesn’t contain saffron, turmeric, or food coloring.
Most of the rice stays white, while some of the grains near the meat and tomato layer absorb a little color from the gravy.
Can I Use Boneless Lamb?
I choose bone-in lamb for this recipe because the bones add flavor to the gravy.
Boneless lamb can be used, but the cooking time may change depending on the cut and size of the pieces.
Why Is My Biryani Rice Mushy?
First, don’t boil the basmati rice until it’s completely soft. It needs a little firmness before layering.
Second, make sure there isn’t too much gravy left in the pot. The rice will absorb moisture from both the gravy and the tomato layer during steaming.
Why Do You Add Lemon Slices?
Lemon adds a little brightness and tanginess. For me, that flavor is reminiscent of the achar often served alongside biryani. It also works with the tomatoes and herbs to flavor the rice closest to the meat.
Storing Leftover Biryani
Store leftovers in an airtight container, and refrigerate for two days. You can also freeze the biryani for up to 2 months.
When reheating, make sure the rice and meat are steaming hot throughout. Reheat only the portion you intend to eat.
More Recipes to Try
If you enjoy this biryani, you may also like my other rice-and-meat dishes.
White Mutton Biryani
Ingredients
For the Meat Gravy
- 500 grams bone-in lamb
- ½ cup ghee
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 green chilies
- 1 inch piece of ginger
- A little water to make the ginger-garlic-chili paste
- 2 medium onions thinly sliced
- Salt to taste
- 1 black cardamom pod
- 1 star anise
- 1 bay leaf
- Boiling water enough to cook the meat
For the Biryani Spice Mix
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds or ground cumin
- 2 green cardamom pods
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
- 3 whole cloves
- 1½- inch cinnamon stick
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- ½ teaspoon anise seeds
For the Rice
- 1½ cups basmati rice washed, soaked for 20 minutes, and drained
- 1 star anise
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 teaspoons salt
- Water for boiling the rice
- For the Tomato Layer
- 1 medium tomato sliced
- ½ lemon thinly sliced
- 4 curry leaves
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander leaves
- ⅓ cup fresh mint leaves
- Half of the reserved fried onions
- 2 whole green chilies
For the Final Layer
- Remaining reserved fried onions
- Reserved onion-flavored ghee
Instructions
Prepare the Ginger-Garlic-Chili Paste
- Grind the garlic cloves, green chilies, and ginger with a little water until a paste forms. Set aside.
Prepare the Biryani Spice Mix
- Place all the biryani spice mix ingredients in a spice grinder and grind until finely ground. Set aside.
Cook the Meat Gravy
- Heat ½ cup of ghee in a deep pot over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and fry until golden brown.
- Remove approximately 2 tablespoons of the fried onions and set aside for layering the biryani.
- Carefully remove about 4 tablespoons of the onion-flavored ghee from the pot and reserve it for drizzling over the rice later.
- Add the lamb to the pot and fry until a few light brown patches appear on the meat. The lamb will release some moisture, which helps prevent the onions from burning.
- Add the ginger-garlic-chili paste, ground biryani spice mix, black cardamom, star anise, bay leaf, and salt. Stir occasionally until you notice some of the ghee separating and rising to the surface.
- Pour in enough boiling water to cover the meat. Cook until the lamb is tender. Mine took approximately 50 minutes.
- Add a little more boiling water during cooking if necessary, but avoid adding too much. By the time the meat is tender, the remaining gravy should measure no more than ¾ cup.
Cook the Rice
- While the meat is cooking, fill another pot with enough water to cover the rice by approximately 5 inches.
- Add the star anise, bay leaf, and salt. Bring the water to a boil.
- Add the soaked and drained basmati rice. Cook for 9 to 10 minutes, then drain thoroughly and set aside.
Prepare the Tomato Layer
- In a bowl, gently combine the tomato slices, lemon slices, curry leaves, coriander leaves, mint leaves, and whole green chilies.
- Spread the tomato mixture evenly over the cooked meat and gravy. Do not stir it into the gravy.
- Sprinkle half of the reserved fried onions over the tomato layer.
Layer and Finish the Biryani
- Spread the cooked rice evenly over the tomato layer.
- Sprinkle the remaining fried onions over the rice, then drizzle with the reserved onion-flavored ghee.
- Cover the pot and cook over the lowest heat for 5 to 7 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and leave the biryani covered for another 15 minutes before serving.
- Serve with yogurt salad.
Notes
- Grinding the spices: Grind all the biryani spice mix ingredients together, including the cumin, even if you are using ground cumin.
- Cooking the lamb: My lamb took approximately 50 minutes to become tender. The cooking time may vary depending on the cut and size of the meat.
- Controlling the gravy: Make sure no more than ¾ cup of gravy remains before adding the tomato layer. Too much liquid can make the rice soggy.
- Layering: Keep the tomato mixture separate from the meat gravy. Do not stir the layers together while assembling the biryani.
- Dividing the fried onions: Sprinkle half of the reserved fried onions over the tomato layer and the remaining half over the rice.
- Resting: After the final cooking stage, leave the biryani covered for 15 minutes before serving.
