Outdoor Cooking : Mutton Biriyani for the Family Get-together

Every year all our family members gather together to celebrate Eid al-Adha, known as "Feast of the Sacrifice". During the get-together, my Mother-in-Law prepares Mutton Biriyani to feed around 40 to 45 family members. We all help her with other chores like preparing the ingredients, collecting firewood, making arrangement for cooking outdoors etcetera.

During the gathering this year, I have been encouraged to document the preparation of Mutton Biriyani outdoors and post an instructable for the First Time Author Contest as well as the Outdoor Cooking Contest

As the ingredients list and the cooking process are very long, I have split them into different steps for ease of understanding. The quantity of ingredients mentioned here will serve about 40 to 45 people

The main ingredients required are,

• 10 kilograms of Biriyani Rice, Rinsed in clean water
• 6 kilograms of Mutton, cleaned and rinsed, without Bones
• 2-1/2 litres of cooking oil
• 250 Grams of Ghee
• 15 litres of water (1-1/2 times of Rice)

• 3 Kilograms of Onions, sliced
• 3 kilograms of Tomatoes, finely chopped
• 250 grams of Coriander leaves, chopped
• 100 grams of Mint leaves, chopped
• 100 grams of Green chillies, sliced

• 750 grams of Small Onions (Shallots)
• 750 grams of Garlic
• 750 grams of Ginger

All above ingredients have been grind to a fine paste and kept separate

To make Lemon juice mixed with curd

• 10 medium sized lemon
• 1 litre Curd (yogurt)

Cut lemon into half and extract the juice, then mix the lemon juice with one litre of curd and keep aside

• 250 grams of Coriander Powder
• 100 grams of Red Chilli Powder
• 50 grams of Cinnamon sticks
• 50 Grams of cardamon pods
• 50 grams of Cloves

We purchased ready-made Coriander and Red Chilli Powders. Then all other spices have been grind to powder and mixed together as seen in the last picture.

A day earlier, we collected the firewood required for cooking from the nearby area. We have used a 250 litre capacity flat-bottomed cooking pot.

First the cooking pot has been applied with a layer of mud on the outer surface to prevent carbon from sticking to the vessel. Then we arranged three large stones for the fire-pit. The cooking pot has been placed over the stones and started the fire.

• When the mud layer around the cooking pot is dried by fire, add cooking oil and then sliced onions & sliced Green Chillies to the pan.
• Stir continuously till onion slices are cooked to a golden brown

• Once Onion pieces are fried to a golden brown, add mixed spice powders and mix well
• Then add Small Onion Paste, Garlic Paste and Ginger paste to the pan

• Stir continuously till raw smell disappears from pasted ingredients
• Add chopped Tomatoes, Coriander leaves and Mint leaves to the pan and cook till the mix leaves oil on sides

• Now add the Boneless Mutton pieces to the pan and mix with the ingredients. Do not add any water
• Cover the cooking pot with a lid and keep over fire for about five minutes or till the mutton pieces are half-cooked
• Open the lid and check the mutton pieces

• Add 15 litres of water, 250 grams of ghee and Curd mixed with Lemon Juice to the mix
• Then add the rinsed Biriyani Rice to the pot and mix well
• Cover the pot with lid and keep the fire going

• Once the Mutton and Rice are cooked properly, put out the fire by removing firewood from the pit
• There may be still some moisture in the Biriyani as seen in the picture

To remove excess moisture, and finish the Biriyani, it is steamed over hot coal from the fire

• Spread layers of green banana leaves over the cooked Biriyani
• Remove hot coal from the fire pit
• Close the Biriyani pot with lid and then place the hot coal over the lid
• Leave the hot coal over the pot till extra moisture is steamed out

The last picture shows the finished Mutton Biriyani, after removing the lid with coal and the layers of Banana leaves spread over it

There are two main dishes served as sides with Mutton Biriyani

• About 2 kilograms of Onions are sliced and mixed with one litre of curd and salt to taste known as Onion Pachadi
• A stew made with lentils, Brinjal and bones known as Dhalcha

We take small amounts of Mutton Biriyani from the pot and serve with sides on Banana leaves.

First we feed the children and aged persons of the family. Then all other members of the family take part in the feast. This is a great time for all of us to gather together and enjoy the meal

Lastly, my sincere thanks to my brother antoniraj, who encouraged me to join the instructable community and post my first instructable