Prepare the mutton

Trim only excessive hard fat from the bone-in mutton and pat the pieces dry. Keeping some natural fat helps the mutton remain rich and juicy.

Marinate the mutton

Combine hung curd, ginger paste, garlic paste, green chilli paste, lemon juice, salt, Kashmiri chilli powder, turmeric, homemade biryani masala, desi ghee, mustard oil and raw papaya paste. Add the mutton and massage the marinade thoroughly into every piece. Cover and refrigerate for 6–8 hours.

Pro tip: If using raw papaya, don't increase the quantity. Too much papaya or excessively long marination can make the meat mushy.

Prepare the biryani masala

Dry-roast the whole spices over very low heat for 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Do not allow them to darken or burn. Cool completely and grind to a fine powder.

Prepare the potatoes

Cut the potatoes into large halves and parboil until about 70% cooked. Drain well. Season lightly with salt and a tiny pinch of turmeric, then fry in pure desi ghee until lightly golden.

Prepare the eggs

Boil the eggs for about 9–10 minutes. Cool and peel them. Make a few shallow cuts and lightly fry them in ghee with a pinch of salt and turmeric.

Prepare the beresta

Slice the onions very thinly and evenly. Fry over medium heat until golden. Remove them slightly before they reach the final desired colour because they continue cooking from residual heat. Drain and keep aside.

Cook the mutton

Heat 2 tbsp desi ghee and 1 tbsp mustard oil in a heavy-bottomed handi. Add a few whole spices and let them become fragrant. Add the marinated mutton.

Bhuno the mutton

Cook over medium heat for about 15–20 minutes, stirring regularly. Allow the excess moisture to evaporate until the marinade becomes thick and the ghee begins to separate.

Pro tip: Do not rush this stage. Proper bhuno develops much of the deep flavour of the biryani.

Slow-cook the mutton

Add approximately 350–500 ml hot water. Cover and cook over low heat until the mutton is about 85–90% tender. It should be tender but still hold its shape because it will cook further during dum.

Prepare the rice

Wash the basmati rice gently and soak for 30 minutes. Bring plenty of water to a vigorous boil with salt and the whole spices. Add the rice and cook until approximately 70–75% done. The grain should remain slightly firm in the centre. Drain immediately.

Prepare the saffron milk

Add the saffron to 100 ml warm milk and gently crush the strands between your fingers. Allow it to infuse for 20–30 minutes. Mix in 1 tbsp melted desi ghee, rose water and kewra water.

Layer the biryani

Place the cooked mutton and gravy at the bottom of a heavy-bottomed handi. Arrange the potatoes over the mutton. Add approximately half of the rice without pressing it down.

Sprinkle some beresta and biryani masala over the rice. Drizzle some saffron milk and ghee.

Add the remaining rice as the final layer. Finish with the remaining saffron milk, desi ghee, beresta and the fried eggs.

Dum cook

Seal the handi tightly. Place it over a tawa. Cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat, then reduce to very low heat and cook for another 25–30 minutes.

Rest the biryani

Turn off the heat and leave the sealed handi undisturbed for 15 minutes.

Pro tip: Do not open the handi immediately. The resting time allows the trapped steam to finish the rice and distribute the saffron aroma.

Serve

Open the handi and gently lift the rice from the side with a long spoon, bringing up rice, mutton, gravy and potato together. Avoid vigorously mixing the entire biryani, as this can break the rice grains.