Experience fiery flavours of South India with Mutton Chettinad Biryani

This Sunday, allow us to take you on a culinary journey into South Indian spices and aromas, specifically from the vibrant and flavoursome Chettinad region of Tamil Nadu where Mutton Chettinad Biryani is a quintessential rice dish. It is a culinary masterpiece that showcases the rich heritage, bold flavours and culinary expertise of the Chettinad region in Tamil Nadu and since we are too lazy to step out this Sunday and savour it at a traditional South Indian restaurant, we decided to whip up a pot of Mutton Chettinad Biryani at home and enjoy it with family to leave a lasting impression on our taste buds.
Watch out as the real magic of Mutton Chettinad Biryani lies in the Chettinad spice blend, which typically includes ingredients like black peppercorns, fennel seeds, cumin, coriander seeds and dried red chilies hence, it is not for the weak hearted as these spices are dry roasted and ground to perfection, creating a robust and fiery flavour profile that is synonymous with Chettinad cuisine. Bursting with spicy, tangy and aromatic notes, serving Mutton Chettinad Biryani is an experience in itself as its fragrant aroma wafts through the air and creates anticipation and excitement among diners.
Pair with cooling raita, crispy papad and tangy pickle and you are good to go as this biryani becomes a complete meal that satisfies all the senses. So, this weekend, spice up your meal with Mutton Chettinad Biryani with the recipe given below to cook the aromatic flavourful South Indian delight at home.
● Place rice in a bowl and wash under running water. Then soak in fresh water for 1 hour. Drain
● Place a saucepan over medium heat, add rice and 450ml water. Bring to a boil, add 5 gms of salt and cook for 10 mins, rice should be soft but not overcooked
● Pour oil and ghee in a large saucepan or open pressure cooker over medium heat. When hot, add cardamom and cinnamon. Add bayleaf and green chillies and stir. Follow by adding onion into the pan and sauteing till translucent. Add turmeric, garlic and ginger. Stir in chilli powder and tomato. Continue to saute, scraping the bottom of the pan often so that the masala does not stick
● Squeeze out most of the water from mint and coriander leaves and add to masala. Once the oil separated from the masala, add the mutton pieces, stirring to coat well. Saute the meat for 2-3 minutes. Brown the meat
● Once the meat has browned slightly, add 400ml of water and salt. Pressure cook the meat for 5 whistles. One whistle on high flame and 4 on low flame. Take off from the heat and let it cool a bit. Mix sugar and yogurt, add to the mutton mixture and stir. Add lime juice
● Layer the rice and then mutton mixture. Repeat the step and the top layer should be covered with rice
● Drizzle ghee onto the biryani. Cover pot tightly, return to low heat to give dum for 5mins. Serve hot