Biryani is a popular rice dish which is made differently in different parts of our country. There are different styles followed in cooking, different blend of spices, different type of rice. In Tamilnadu, Seeraga samba rice is used which gives a unique flavor to the biryani. In other parts, the long grained basmati is used. Be it anything, Biryani in any style tastes wonderful. This Chettinad Mutton Biryani with Coconut Milk is one among the tastiest Biryani!
Weekends are meant for special lunches. I made this biryani for a Sunday lunch, along with Mutton Varuval and Mutton Kuzhambu. I love to have my biryani with curry and it makes the biryani even more tasty and spicy. It was very yummy. A blissful Lunch it was!! The Specially ground masala enhanced the taste of biryani so much. Needless to say, addition of coconut milk balances everything perfectly.
I love biryani and I try different styles of it. Check out Paneer Biryani, Mushroom Biryani from F for Flavour
How to make Chettinad Mutton Biryani
- Marinate the cleaned mutton pieces with items under “For Marinating” for minimum 1 hour. Soak the biryani rice for 20 mins.
- Grind all items in the pic below in a mixer-grinder with ¼ cup of water.
- In a Pressure Cooker, add ghee and oil. Add bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, Marati Moggu and Kalpasi. Fry well.
- Add sliced onions and fry well. The onions should turn soft.
- Add turmeric powder and sliced tomatoes. Cook well till tomato turns mushy.
- Add the masala paste and cook for 2 mins.
- Add Mutton Pieces and 1 cup of water. Close the pressure cooker and cook for 6 whistles in high flame.
- Let the pressure release naturally. For 1 cup of biryani rice, we should add 2 cups of liquid. Here the gravy will measure ½ cup of liquid. So we are adding 1 ½ cup of coconut milk.
- Add soaked rice, coriander leaves and mint leaves. Mix well. Let it come to a boil.
- Close the lid. Cook in medium flame for 10 mins.
- Switch off the flame and wait for at least 10 mins before opening the lid.
- Add a tsp of ghee and gently mix with a fork.
- Chettinad Mutton Biryani is ready!
Chettinad Mutton Biryani with Coconut milk Recipe

Spicy and tasty Chettinad Mutton Biryani
- 250 grams Mutton
- 250 grams Biryani Rice
- 1 Onion big, thinly sliced
- 1 Tomato sliced
- Coriander leaves a handful
- Mint leaves a handful
- 1 1/2 cup Coconut milk - 1 ½ cup thin milk or second milk
- 1 Bay leaf
- 1 inch Cinnamon
- 3 Cloves
- 1 Start anise
- 2 Cardamom
- Kalpasi
- 2 Marati Moggu
- Salt as required
- 3 tbsp Oil
- 1/4 cup Ghee
- 7 Shallots
- 4 Dry red chili
- 2 Green chili
- 1 tbsp Coconut – 1 tbsp
- 12 cloves Garlic
- Ginger a small piece
- Coriander leaves few
- Mint leaves few
- 1 tsp Chili Powder
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 tsp Salt – 1 tsp
- Marinate the cleaned mutton pieces with items under “For Marinating” for minimum 1 hour.
- Soak the biryani rice for 1 hour.
- Grind all items under “for masala paste” in a mixer-grinder with ¼ cup of water.
- In a Pressure Cooker, add ghee and oil. Add bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, Marati Moggu and Kalpasi. Fry well.
- Add sliced onions and fry well. The onions should turn soft.
- Add turmeric powder and sliced tomatoes. Cook well till tomato turns mushy.
- Add the masala paste and cook for 2 mins.
Add Mutton Pieces and 1 cup of water. Close the pressure cooker and cook for 6 whistles in high heat.
- Let the pressure release naturally. For 1 cup of biryani rice, we should add 2 cups of liquid. Here the gravy will measure ½ cup of liquid. So we are adding 1 ½ cup of coconut milk.
- Add soaked rice, coriander leaves and mint leaves. Mix well. Let it come to a boil.
Close the lid. Cook in medium heat for 10 mins.
Switch off the heat and wait for at least 10 mins before opening the lid.
Add a tsp of ghee and gently mix with a fork.
Serve South Indian Mutton Biryani with Raitha or Mutton Curry!
1. Cooking time of mutton depends on the quality of it. Some takes at least 10 whistles, while some cooks in 6 - 8 whistles. If you feel, the mutton is under cooked before adding rice and coconut milk, cook for 2– 3 more whistles.
2. You can even substitute coconut milk with water.
3. This seerga samba mutton biryani recipe yields mildly spiced biryani. If you want a spicier biryani, add 2 more green chillies.
Tips:
- Cooking time of mutton depends on the quality of it. Some takes at least 10 whistles, while some cooks in 6 – 8 whistles. If you feel, the mutton is under cooked before adding rice and coconut milk, cook for 2– 3 more whistles.
- You can even substitute coconut milk with water.
- This seeraga samba mutton biryani recipe yields mildly spiced biryani. If you want a spicier biryani, add 2 more green chillies.
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Tempting. 🙂