Idrees Ki Biryani- Lucknow / Authentic Biryani- GOSHT KI DUM BIRYANI

I wanted to give away this recipe a year back but I had not perfected the art of cooking “Idrees ki Biryani” so I pledged to give away the recipe only when I can be testified as a Biryani Culinary artist like Late Mohammed Idrees way back in sixties in Lucknow.

I am a big Biryani lover, so is my family. My Wife and Son appreciate this particular Indian Dish more than anything else since both are accustomed European eater. But they savour Lucknawi Biryani because it has subtle flavors of spices and they don’t Scream out their presence’ and it’s fragrance can bring the neighbors and uninvited guests to your home. 

In reality, “Idrees ki Biryani” is my favorite too. As far I remember there has not been a single occasion that I visited Lucknow and I didn’t eat at Idrees. It’s small restaurant in Patanala Near Kotwali in Chowk but you can ask anywhere or anyone in Lucknow, they will give you the proper address. I have not met a single meat lover in Lucknow who had not eaten at Idrees. 

“Idrees ki Biryani” in certainty, is not a genuine Biryani; it’s more like a “Pulao” (Palao aur Pilaf) since rice is cooked in the broth (Yakhni) of cooked meat. However Rice are not fully cooked in the broth so it is kind of Biryani too. Its complicated but it is true. Chefs in Lucknow have perfected the art of culinary simply for two reasons

1- Nawabs had enough money for research and development of cooking 

2- People of Lucknow respected culinary culture more than anything else. 

Cooking Biryani is an intricate process and if undivided attention is not paid, the outcome will fluctuate even if you are using the same method and same ingredients. So as a culinary artist I would recommend two vital ingredients for cooking ”patience and persistence”. Other ingredients are easy to match but these two can only make one a Biryani Chef. 

Lets start the Process, we need these condiments..  

Mutton: 1 Kg (Make sure it’s a male and young goat)
Extra Long Grain Basmati Rice: 750 gm
Red Onion: 2 Big ones
Milk: 500 ml.

Curd- half Cup (optional though recommended)

Ingredients to cook Meat and Broth we need these whole spices. 

Garlic Paste: 2 Tablespoon
Ginger Paste: 2 Tablespoons

Salt: 2 Tablespoon or as per taste
Red Chili Powder: 1 Tablespoon
Black Pepper:  1 Tablespoon
Cloves: 15
Green Cardamom: 15
Black Cardamom (Big ones): 2
Cinnamon Stick: 2
Cassia: 2 1"
Jyfal: half
Javitri: 1 Blade
Fennel Seeds (Small ones): 1.5 Tbsp
Ghee - 1 Cup

Ingredients to finish the Broth (YAKHNI)

Jyfal: 1/2
Javetri: 1/2 blade
Red Chili Powder: 1 Tablespoon
Green Cardamom: 4
Fennel seed: 1 Tablespoon
White Cumin: 1 Tablespoon
Sugar 3 Teaspoon
Fried Onion: 1/2 of the quantity
Saffron: 3 Pinch

Rose Water: 3 tablespoons
Kewda Water: 3 tablespoons 

Whipping Cream – 50 gm

Ingredients to Boil Rice
Salt: 3.5 Tablespoon
Cloves: 10
Green Cardamom: 10
Black Cardamom: 2
Cinnamon Stick: 1

INGREDIENTS for DUM
Fried Onion: Remaining 1/2 of the quantity
Kewda Water: 3 tablespoons
Ghee: 1/2 Cups
Food Color: 1/4 Tbsp

To beign with, Wash Basmati rice twice in clean water and soak it in a bowl for minimum one hour. Slice the onion thin and nice and keep it aside. Heat the ghee in a Degh (copper Vessel) and once heated, fry the onion till it turns into golden Brown. Quickly take it out and keep it aside. Pour half the ghee out in a bowl and leave the rest in the vessel.

Put the flame on High and Put the meat in the oil with curd and all the ingredients, which are above mentioned to cook the meat. In short span of time meat will start turning in brown. This process should be finished in 5 minutes. Then put half a glass of water and cooked it till meat is tender. 

Once meat is cooked take the meat out and pass the broth through sieve to take out all the spices. It should be watery and without any solid spice and meat. 

While meat was almost done, boil the water with the ingredients mentioned above for the Rice. To do the same put the spices in a small bag (Potli) ans put in the water before boiling.  Once you see it boiling put the Rice and cook it till Rice is 75%-80% done.  Pass it through the sieve and keep the Rice aside. 

Take the ingredients (spices) mentioned above to finish the Broth (Yakhni) (except cream, Kewda Water, Saffron and Rose Water) and put them in a grinder and make a vey fine powder of it. Now in the “Degh” put milk and fine powder of spices and half fried onion, cream, Kweda water, Rose water and saffron and cook it for 5 minutes or till you see its water has reduced a bit. Now add ¾ Broth from the meat and all the mutton pieces.  

Now time to put the biryani on DUM. To accomplish this, over broth, put a layer of rice and on the top of the rice put Friend onion, Kewda water and Safforn colour. Cover it with the lid and put the flour dough around it to seal the aroma. Put it on a Dum for 15-20 min and let it rest for another 10 minutes. 

When you will open the lid, its aroma will induce your hunger and you will thank Idrees Bhai. 

Note – Serve it with 1.4 of the Broth we didn’t use. 

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