DINDUGAL THALAPAKATTI MUTTON BIRIYANI RECIPE

     Dindigul Thalapakatti Biriyani is a simple restaurant chain which specializes in home-style biriyani which has its origin in Dindigul. Dindigul district in Tamilnadu was carved out of the composite Madurai District which was under the rule of the famous Muslim Monarch, Tipu Sultan.  A place mainly considered as Land of Locks & Tannery and for foodies, Dindigul is famous for its Thalapakkatti Biriyani.  This Dindigul Thalapakatti Biriyani Recipe is a replica of the same, which yields more or less a similar taste to the original recipe.
     I had a chance of eating at the original Thalapakatti Restaurant in Dindigul once. It was a routine site visit with my husband to Madurai and way back to CBE, we stopped at Dindigul for the famous Thalapakatti Biriyani.  My love for Biriyani is self-proclaimed and anything in the name of Biriyani is devoured heads down.  At one point of time it was a routine that on Sundays, my husband's friends travel all the way to Dindigul just for eating Biriyani at Thalapakatti Restaurant and way back they used to buy loads of Parcel Biriyanis for all at home. In recent times, whenever we visit Kuala Lumpur, we always make sure to eat at Dindigul Thalapakatti Biryani Restaurant at Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur.  A craving for authentic South Indian style Biriyani gets surely satiated eating at the place. 
     Tamilnadu style Biriyanis, all have quite the same type of ingredients, mostly a one-pot dish prepared with Meat of your choice, rice & spices.  But what makes every Biriyani special and unique to the region, is the style of preparation.  The order of adding the ingredients, quality and amount of spices, type of Rice, meat all can convert and give a new dimension to specific Biriyanis.Thalapakatti Biriyani is one Recipe which falls under a unique category which has made this type of Biriyani a benchmark in midst of Biriyani lovers around the world.
     Thalapakatti Biriyani is popular for its wonderful texture, mild flavour and everlasting taste.  The texture of this Biriyani solely lies on the type of Rice used - Jeerakasamba Rice colloquially called Parakkum Sittu.  The usage of Spices and the style of cooking leaves an everlasting note of taste and flavour. Though it is a thumb rule to use Basmati Rice in Biriyanis,  Jeerakasamba Rice is commonly used to cook Biriyanis & Ghee Rice(Nei Choru) in Tamilnadu and Kerala.  Jeerakasamba Rice is a fragrant, short-grained variety of Rice.  The size of the rice is very small and looks like a Cumin Seed and hence the name (Cumin - Jeera).  Jeerakasamba has a distinct taste and yields a wonderful texture when cooked.  Biriyanis cooked with this type of rice is soft and light.


Cuisine - South Indian (Tamilnadu)
Course - Main
Spice Level  - Medium
Difficulty - Medium
Serves - 3- 4
Author - SM

Preparation Time - 15-20 Minutes
Soaking Time - 20 - 30 Minutes.
Cooking Time - 30 - 45 Minutes

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HOW TO COOK DINDUGAL THALAPAKATTI MUTTON BIRIYANI

DINDUGAL THALAPAKATTI MUTTON BIRIYANI RECIPE

For Dindigul Thalapakatti Biriyani:

Jeeraka Samba Rice - 3 Cups
Onion - 1 No.
Tomato - 2 Nos.
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Tspn
Water + Mutton Stock - 41/2 Cups
Mint Leaves  - a handful
Coriander Leaves - a handful
Lime Juice - 2 Tbspn
Ghee - 3 Tbpsn
Oil - 3-4 Tbpsn

To Cook Mutton:

Mutton - 500 Gms
Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Tspn
Red Chilli Powder - 1 Tspn
Curd/Yogurt - 1/2 Cup
Ginger - a small Piece
Garlic - 4-5 Cloves
Water - 2 Cups

For Biriyani Masala:

Cinnamon - 4-5 Sticks(1" sized)
Cloves - 5-6 Nos.
Cardamoms - 4-5 Pods
Nutmeg - a small piece
Mace - 1 small petal
Shallots - 15-20 Nos.
Garlic - 10-12 Cloves
Ginger - 1" piece - 2 Nos.
Green Chillies - 6-7 Nos.

 

METHOD:

To Cook Mutton :

• Clean, wash and cut the Mutton pieces.
• Crush or coarsely grind the Garlic cloves and Ginger.
• Add crushed Ginger- Garlic, Turmeric Powder, Red Chilli Powder, Curd and Salt to the Mutton pieces and mix well.
• Pour in 2 cups of Water.
• Cook Mutton in a Pressure cooker until it turns soft and cooked.
• Switch off the flame and allow the pressure to release.
• Once the pressure is released, check whether the Mutton is well cooked.
• Remove the cooked Mutton Pieces from the stock and keep it aside.
• Measure the remaining Mutton stock. I had about 11/2 Cups of Mutton stock.
• Save the Mutton Stock and keep it aside.

To cook Dindigul Thalapakatti Biriyani:

• Clean, wash & soak the Jeerakasamba Rice for at least 20-30 Minutes.
• Dry Roast Nutmeg & Mace on a very low flame until fragrant.
• Grind the ingredients mentioned under "For Biriyani Masala" along with dry roasted Nutmeg & Mace into a fine paste and keep it aside.
• Heat Oil & Ghee in a Pressure cooker.
• Saute finely chopped Onion on a medium flame until onions turn translucent.
• Pour in the Biriyani Masala and saute it on a low flame until Oil separates from the mix.
• Add Turmeric Powder and fry it on a low flame for few minutes.
• Add finely chopped Tomatoes to the above and cook on a low flame until tomatoes are well cooked.
• Add cooked Lamb pieces to the Masala and mix well, leave this on a low flame until the Mix turns a bit dry.
• Drain the soaked Rice and add it to the above Biriyani Masala and mix well, fry this on a low flame for about 3-5 minutes.
• Sprinkle a handful of Mint and Coriander Leaves.
• Pour Lemon Juice, adjust the Salt and give a quick stir.
• Meanwhile, boil the saved Mutton Stock and Water in a separate pan. (I have used 11/2 Cups of Mutton Stock + 3 Cups of Water).
• I have used 1:11/2 Cups of Rice: Water Ratio.  
• Cover the lid of the pressure cooker and cook for one full whistle.
• Lower the flame(to the lowest) and cook for another 20 - 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat a Chapati Griddle on a high flame for a few minutes or until the griddle is very hot.
• While lowering the flame to cook biriyani, keep this preheated Chapati griddle below the pressure cooker to give a dhum effect.
• After 25 minutes switch off the flame and leave the pressure cooker on the stovetop untouched, until the pressure is totally released.
• Once cooked, add the remaining Ghee to the Thalapakatti Mutton Biryani and fluff-up the rice gently.
• Serve Thalapakatti Mutton Biriyani along with Curd-Onion Raitha or any preferred vegetarian or non-vegetarian side dishes.

NOTES :

• Well-seasoned Jeerakasamba Rice plays a vital role in the texture of Biryani. 
• Can also use Basmati Rice for this Biriyani.
• Soaking the rice helps in getting perfectly cooked rice.
• Use the water ratio to suit the type of rice you are using.
• Usually 1:11/2 Cups of Rice Water Ratio is perfect for Basmati and Jeeraka Samba Rice.
• If you like your Rice to be cooked 'Al dente' follow the instructions in the package.
• For a softer version add some extra water(1/2 Cup preferably).
• Can Substitute 1 Cup of water with Curd.
• Adjust the amount of Green Chillies to suit your spice level.
• Use ample of Ghee while cooking biriyanis, this plays a major role in the texture and gives an awesome aroma to the dish.
• Adding lemon juice is to avoid rice from getting sticky.

For the Dhum Effect : 

• Keep a preheated Chapati griddle below the pressure cooker to give a dhum effect.
• This also helps the biriyani not to get burnt at the bottom of the pressure cooker.

A QUICK TIP :

• Use Raw Papaya to tenderize the meat.  It acts as a natural 'MEAT TENDERIZER'.
• Raw papaya contains an enzyme called Papain.  The connective tissue in the meat breaks down when it comes in contact with Papain.
• Papaya is one of the preferred tenderizers for red meats (Lamb, Mutton & Beef).
• Use a few pieces of raw papaya while cooking red meats.  This will tenderize the meat, making it more soft and succulent, without changing its taste and flavour.
• Yogurt/Curd, Lime Juice, Vinegar, Soda-bi-carbonate, all have to soften and tenderizing effects on Red meat.