This easy kacchi mutton biryani skips the long hours of standing and cooking! Marinated mutton with yoghurt, fried onions and whole spices is topped with par-boiled basmati and saffron, sealed, and baked until the meat is tender and the rice is fragrant. You get about 20 minutes of hands-on work, an overnight marinade, and roughly an hour in the oven.
Makes a delicious, aromatic, finger-licking biryani that we love to serve with kachumber and pappadoms!
In 2020, I made kacchi biryani more often than upma. Friday lunch is the big meal in Gulf homes, and for years I brushed it off because it's my weekend too. Then my neighbours started sending over their Friday dishes, and I felt bad having nothing to send back. So I decided to change that.
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Why should you make this biryani?
There are no long hours of standing in the kitchen and sweating to whip up a meal and then feeling fatigued when you sit down to eat, so you actually don't enjoy the meal. So the Kacchi Biryani recipe is the answer! Makes it even easier if you have a batch of fried onions stocked in the freezer because that is the only elaborate task you will be doing.
What is kacchi biryani?
Kacchi means 'raw'. When the meat is added raw to the biryani pot, it is referred to as Kacchi Biryani, whereas pakki-style biryani is when completely or partially cooked meat is added to the biryani pot and is sometimes layered.
Did you notice that I have not categorised this recipe to any specific city? It was a deliberate decision because I tread carefully when sharing a regional recipe. This recipe is more a personal flavour choice, but cooking this applies to any kind of kacchi biryani recipe.
Which part of mutton is best for kacchi biryani?
I have used the Leg cut and Rump cut, both parts of "Raan cut". It is safer to make kacchi mutton biryani with one type of cut so the meat cooks evenly. But you may use a mixture of leg, rump, or chops. If using other cuts that are tough meat, like shoulder, then marinate longer and cook slower.
Ingredients you will need
You'll find exact quantities in the recipe card below. Here's what matters before you shop.
The essentials
- Mutton or lamb: Leg or rump (both "raan cut") is what I use. Stick to one cut so everything cooks evenly. If you use a tougher cut like shoulder, marinate longer and cook slower.
- Crispy fried onions: Indispensable. Fry a batch and freeze it, and this is the only real work in the recipe.
- Thick yoghurt: Hung curd or Greek yoghurt works too. A runny marinade makes soggy biryani.
- Basmati rice: Indispensable. Other rice varieties will need a different par-boiling time.
- Fresh mint: Indispensable.
Whole spices
- Must-haves: Green cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and a bay leaf.
- Shah jeera (caraway seeds): Cumin will do in a pinch, but the flavour changes noticeably.
- Optional but worth it: Mace, black cardamom and star anise add depth.
Adjust to your taste
- Turmeric, coriander powder, red chilli powder and green chillies.
Finishing touches
- Saffron (optional, but recommended), ghee, and fresh coriander leaves if you have them.
Instructions
Step-by-step method of making Kacchi Mutton Biryani
Prepare the fried onions by deep-frying in hot oil. Separate the strands of the sliced onions with your hands. Keep the flame low to medium at all times; stir in between to fry evenly and fry till you see the onions changing shades for about 4 mins. Remove the onions with a slotted spoon on time before they get burnt. The onions will continue to cook even when you take them out, so remove them when you see the golden light brown shade. Spread the fried onions on a paper towel to drain the excess oil (It will become crispy as it cools). Let it cool completely before storing it in an airtight box in the freezer.
Make sure you have washed, drained, and patted the meat dry completely to avoid excess moisture. Add the mutton and the rest of the marinade items and mix thoroughly by hand, preferably. Cover and refrigerate overnight or at least 6 hours. Take it out 30 minutes before you start the rice prep.
Soak a pinch of saffron in 2 tablespoons of hot water.
Boil a lot of water in a deep, large pot with more salt than usual, green chillies, cardamoms and cloves.
Stir in the drained rice and bring to a boil on high flame.
Reduce to medium flame and boil for just about 90 seconds to 2 minutes (30% to 50% cooked), then switch off.
Drain the rice in a colander immediately. Reserve ¼ cup of water for later.
If making the mutton biryani in an oven, then the temperature to preheat the oven can be 165c to 170c with a rack on level 2. Spread the marinated mutton in a single layer on the bottom of the biryani pot (oven-friendly).
Spread the drained rice evenly and pour the reserved water all around (in case you feel the rice is almost cooked because you forgot to drain on time, then skip adding the reserved water)
Add the fried onions, mint leaves and saffron water (you may squeeze some lemon juice or rose water and add a few dollops of ghee for extra flavour)
Pour the brewed saffron water all over the rice.
Cover and seal the pot with foil and then with the lid.
If making on a stove-top, place a heat diffuser (or any flat pan) on a low to medium flame and keep the biryani pot over the diffuser. This will ensure even heat distribution and prevent burning of food, and dum cook for 1 hour. For the oven, keep it up to 1 hour and 10 minutes.
Open and remove the foil - let it cool for 5 minutes before you stir the rice (You may dig and check if the meat is done. If you see that it needs cooking, then put it back in the oven. The residual heat of the oven will be enough to get it done). Serve kacchi mutton biryani hot with cold salads, kachumber raita and papadams.
Kacchi Biryani Questions, Answered
Does the baking time change if I use 1 kg of meat instead of the recipe amount?
Not really, as long as the meat pieces are spread out in a single layer rather than piled up. Check at the 1 hour 15 minute mark and give it more time if needed - it comes down to your pot's width more than the exact weight.
I don't have this exact pot - does the brand or material matter?
The pot itself matters less than how well it seals and how evenly it holds heat. Check your specific pot's manufacturer guidance for oven temperature limits, then follow the sealing method in this post regardless of brand.
Can I use chicken instead of mutton?
Yes, you can. Chicken cooks much faster than mutton, so don't use the mutton timing here, or the meat will overcook and dry out. For a chicken version with its own tested method and timings, use my Hyderabadi kacchi chicken biryani. It's the same raw-marinated, sealed-pot technique.
What to serve with kacchi mutton biryani
Biryani is rich and full of fried onions, so I keep the sides cold and sharp. Serve it with a stack of papadams for crunch (you'll want more than you think), a simple kachumber-style salad of onion and tomato, or a bowl of cooling yoghurt raita.
For something with more punch, try my sweet and spicy cucumber salad. If you're feeding a crowd, start with shami kababs while the biryani rests.
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📖 Recipe Card
Kacchi Mutton Biryani
Ingredients
For crispy fried onions
- 2 to 3 large red onions, sliced finely and strands separated
- cooking oil, to deep fry
For marination
- 500 grams mutton, Raan cut /leg pieces (washed, drained and patted dry completely)
- salt to taste
- 2 teaspoons caraway seeds, shah jeera
- 1 a small piece of mace, crushed
- 3 green cardamom
- 1 black cardamom
- 2 inch cinnamon stick
- 5 cloves
- 1 star anise
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 tablespoon red chilli powder
- 2 tablespoons ginger garlic paste
- 2 to 3 green chillies, slit
- ½ cup thick yoghurt
- fresh mint leaves, handful
- Fresh coriander leaves, fistful
- ¾ cup fried onions
- ¼ cup cooking oil, preferably from the fried onion
For par-boiling the rice
- 1½ cups basmati rice, washed and soaked in water for 20 to 30 minutes and drained or soak as per packet instructions
- 6 cups water
- 2 green cardamom
- 2 cloves
- 2 green chillies, slit
- 1½ tablespoons salt, fine
Others:
- 1 pinch saffron strands, soaked in 2 tablespoons of hot water
- fresh mint leaves, fistful
- ¼ cup fried onions
- 1 tablespoon ghee
- ¼ cup water , reserved after parboiling the rice
Instructions
Prepare the crispy fried onions
- Heat oil in a wide pan over low to medium heat. Drop in one onion strand to test; it should sizzle. Add the sliced onions in a single layer, stirring, and fry for about 4 minutes until light golden. Remove with a slotted spoon before they burn, since they keep cooking off the heat.cooking oil to deep fry2 to 3 large red onions sliced finely and strands separated
- Spread on a paper towel to drain and crisp. Cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the freezer.
Marinate the Mutton
- Wash the mutton, drain it and pat it completely dry. Mix it by hand with all the marinade ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 to 6 hours or overnight, and take it out 30 minutes before you start the rice.500 grams mutton Raan cut /leg pieces (washed, drained and patted dry completely)salt to taste2 teaspoons caraway seeds shah jeera1 a small piece of mace crushed3 green cardamom1 black cardamom2 inch cinnamon stick5 cloves1 star anise1 bay leaf1 ½ teaspoon turmeric powder1 teaspoon coriander powder1 tablespoon red chilli powder2 tablespoons ginger garlic paste2 to 3 green chillies slit½ cup thick yoghurtfresh mint leaves handfulFresh coriander leaves fistful¾ cup fried onions¼ cup cooking oil preferably from the fried onion
Par-boil the rice
- Bring the water to a boil with the salt, green chillies, cardamoms and cloves. Stir in the drained rice, bring to a boil on high, then reduce to medium and boil for just 90 seconds to 2 minutes (30% to 50% cooked).6 cups water2 green cardamom2 cloves2 green chillies slit1½ tablespoons salt fine1½ cups basmati rice washed and soaked in water for 20 to 30 minutes and drained or soak as per packet instructions
- Drain immediately in a colander, reserving ¼ cup of the water.¼ cup water reserved after parboiling the rice
Assemble and bake
- Preheat the oven to 165-170°C (about 330-340°F) with the rack on level 2. Soak the saffron in 2 tablespoons of hot water. Spread the marinated mutton in a single layer in an oven-safe pot.1 pinch saffron strands soaked in 2 tablespoons of hot water
- Spread the drained rice evenly over the mutton and pour the reserved water around the edges. Skip it if the rice is almost cooked.
- Top with the fried onions, mint and ghee, then pour the saffron water over the rice. Seal the pot with foil, then the lid.fresh mint leaves fistful¼ cup fried onions1 tablespoon ghee
- Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes. For the stovetop, set the pot on a heat diffuser over low to medium heat and dum-cook for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Remove the foil and let it rest for 5 minutes before stirring. Check the meat, and if it needs more time, return it to the oven, where the residual heat will finish it.
- Serve hot with raita and papadams.
Notes
- Crispy fried onions are a must and should not be skimmed or skipped
- Make sure the marinade is not too runny, so use only thick yoghurt and drain the meat and pat it dry before marinating
- Freeze any leftover fried onions in an airtight box for later use
Nutrition Info
Nutritional information is an estimate provided for informational purposes only. Values may vary based on ingredient brands, cooking methods, and portion sizes.
Solveig says
My first time trying biryani !!! And it was so easy and delicious 🙏🏻
Can I change the mutton with chicken drumsticks???
Famidha Ashraf says
Yes, you may! I already have a chicken version of similar recipe. https://butfirstchai.com/hyderabadi-kacchi-chicken-biryani/. Thank you for trying and I am so happy you loved it.
Fariha says
Thank you for the recipe. Is the baking time different if we use 1 kg of meat?
Famidha Ashraf says
Hi Fariha, I am sure it will take the same time to bake if the meat pieces are spread out. It will also depend on the pot size. You can check after 1 hour 15 mins or so and bake again if required.
Famidha Ashraf says
Please check with your pot manufacturer product label. You may google their details.
Unknown says
hi there, nice recipe 😋.. I have the same pot... can I place it in convection mode in the oven following the same procedure u did here..