Keema Biryani or Mutton Keema Biryani is a subtly spiced Biryani that combines perfectly cooked, flavorful minced meat with Indian spices and Long grain, aromatic Biryani rice. If you do not prefer bone on the meat, then this Biryani will definitely excite you.
An oft-asked query to me is what drove me into giving up my well-settled and promising IT career and venture into a relatively less common field of food blogging. My answer to this is, my IT job, besides providing stability and imparting confidence also helped me discover my passion-passion for cooking. The world of IT allowed me to share space with individuals from diverse backgrounds. I got this unique opportunity to meet with people from different caste, creed, religious beliefs and different states. My horizons were broadened more than I ever imagined. I started to understand the true diversity of our country, about our diverse culture, different practices and varying food habits of different regions of India. It was during those years, I started contemplating about pursuing my hobby-cooking into a full-time job and then I decided to leave my decade long career behind and enrolled myself into a full time post-graduation course in culinary arts. I think I owe a lot to my friends who stood by with me all this while. Changing career is never an easy decision and you need folks to stand behind you when you chase your dreams.
I have a close set of buddies and each of them hailing from diverse backgrounds. They inspire me with their food stories, their memories that they very fondly recollect. So if you happen to spot playlists on my YouTube Channel and on this website for recipes from Indian states like Kerala, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka and Rajasthan you would now know from where these recipes come from.
I have some very fond memories of how I got introduced to Keema in this food journey of mine. At the beginning of my IT career, I worked for clients from USA which meant I had to work during their work hours which ended up being a night shift for us. We were a group of 6 friends, and I was the only girl in that gang of boys. I feel fortunate to have had such lovely souls in my life as my friends. We all are separated by distance now, each of us in different cities, different countries but our bond of friendship still feels as fresh as it was in those initial years.
Our night shifts would start around 9.30 PM and continue until next day early morning 6AM. We would stay occupied usually until 3 AM in the morning after which the calls and emails frequency would start to wane off. So it was the time when we would take a break and head towards the canteen for some quick bite to satisfy our late night hunger pangs. Infosys is popular for its self-contained infrastructure in which they can boast of 7 huge food courts that are set up in campus and collectively it feeds more than 10000+ employees. There were few caterers open during night hours to feed employees who work in night shift. We would each order different item and then share from each other’s plate.
I remember my favorite was Idli, Medu wada or Poha, Munish would order double Egg cheese Omelette and Pranay’s favorite was Bhurji pav. We all used to order different dishes every day except for my friend Girish who would stick to his usual order-Keema Pav. No matter what day of the year or what time of the day it was, his order remained unchanged. Every time I think of dishes made from Keema, I am drawn to this nostalgia. Good Old memories!
Today’s recipe of Keema Biryani is our penultimate recipe of the Ramadan series. You may want to check our other recipes which were posted as a part of this series
Anda Kachori
Fruit Chaat
Omelette Curry
Virgin Pina Colada
Murgh Pulao
Keema Biryani or Mutton Keema Biryani is a subtly spiced Biryani that combines perfectly cooked flavorful minced meat with Indian spices and Long grain, aromatic Biryani rice. If you do not prefer bone on the meat, then this Biryani will definitely excite you.
Make this delicious Biryani this Ramadan and remember to Share your feedback with us in the comment section below
Rating
Serves: 4-5

- 500 gms Minced Mutton (Goat meat)
- 1 Large=100gms Onions-finely chopped
- ¾th Cup=150gms Curd
- 1 Cup brown Onions
- Cooking Oil
- Clarified Butter
- Green Masala paste: -
- ¼th Cup Fresh Coriander leaves
- ½ Cup fresh Mint leaves (1/4th Cup for Masala and other ¼th Cup in layering)
- 1½-inch Ginger root
- 8-10 Cloves of Garlic
- 1 tbsp Lime Juice
- 6 Green Chilies
- Rice: -
- 1½ Cup=300gms Long Grain Basmati Rice-washed, cleaned and soaked for 30 mins
- 2 Bay Leaf
- 1-inch Cinnamon Stick
- 1 tsp Black Cumin Seeds
- 4 Green Cardamom
- 4 Cloves
- Other Ingredients:-
- ¼th tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1½ tsp Red Chili Powder
- 1 tsp Garam Masala Powder
- 1 tbsp Rose water
- Few saffron strands-soaked in 1 tbsp warm milk
- We will grind a masala paste for Keema marination. In a grinder jar, put Green Chilies, Ginger and Garlic, Coriander leaves and ½ quantity Mint leaves. Add Lime juice and water. Grind into a fine paste. We have used 2-3 tbsp water for grinding this masala paste.
- Take a large bowl and put Keema in it. Add Curd, Red Chili Powder, Garam Masala Powder, Turmeric Powder, Green masala paste, salt and mix well. Keep the Keema covered. Let's cook rice now.
- Boil 6-7 Cups of water in a Pan. Allow water to get to boiling state. Add Bay leaf, Cinnamon stick, Cloves, Black Cumin Seeds, Green Cardamom,1 tsp Ghee and mix well. Now season the water with sufficient amount of Salt. Add Soaked Rice. Cook until rice is 90% done-(4-5 mins)
- We have cooked rice for about 5 mins and it's almost done. Remove from the Pan with a strainer and spread in a large plate. Allow the rice to cool down completely. When rice cools down, remove the whole spices from it.
- Now, we will cook Keema. In a Pan, heat 3 tbsp Cooking Oil. Add chopped Onions and cook until it becomes brown in color. Add some Salt for faster and even browning of Onions. Onions become brown in 5-6 mins. Now, add marinated Keema.
- We will not add any water while cooking Keema. Cover and cook on low heat. Let's uncover after 10 mins. Add Salt to taste and mix. Cover and cook on low heat.
- Uncover after total 15 mins of cooking time. Keema is well cooked now. Cook uncovered to remove excess moisture
- We have cooked Keema uncovered for 2 mins. We need some gravy in Keema to keep the Biryani moist. Remove from heat. We will now layer the Biryani..
- Take a thick-bottomed vessel (Biryani Handi). Grease the bottom and sides with Ghee. Put cooked Keema at the bottom of the pan (half quantity). Spread evenly.
- Put some brown Onions on top, half quantity cooked rice. Spread evenly without breaking the rice grain with a fork. Put some saffron milk. Add mint leaves and some more brown Onions. This completes first layer of Biryani.
- Repeat for second layer: Keema, brown Onions, Rice, saffron milk, mint leaves and brown onions
- Put rose water on the top layer and put some ghee. Seal Biryani Handi
- Apply dough on the lid. Seal the Biryani Pot with this lid.
- Place the Biryani Handi on high heat for 3 mins. Heat an iron griddle on another flame. After 3 mins, transfer Biryani Pot on this Iron griddle. Transfer Biryani Handi on Iron griddle and cook on low heat for 10 mins-Dum Method of Cooking.
- After 10 mins of slow cooking, we will now open the Handi.

Click to watch recipe video
Lovely Recipe. I found the right recipe which I was searching for my parents’ wedding anniversary. Thank you
Hey Jazz thanks for stopping by ! Your comment has just made my day , the best thing I came across today on my social media! 🙂
Thanks once again and let me know how it turned out ! Happy Anniversary to your parents from Kali Mirch!
I made this and my 3yo thoroughly enjoyed this.. Thanks a ton
Thanks Amrita , for such a wonderful feedback 🙂
Happy reading, enjoy cooking!
Thank you for the recipe. Always wanted to try this biryani.
The instructions were nice and clear.
With love from Australia.
Regards
Neha
Thats very kind of you Neha .. do try out this biryani , its my personal favourite and always turns out delicious 🙂
I tried your recipe and it’s comes out perfectly cooked and great aroma thank you for your recipe
Thank you so much for your wonderful reply ! Happy Cooking , enjoy reading 🙂
I really liked this blog very much as I love eating Biryani, especially Dum Chicken Biryani. Aluminum Biryani Handi is very famous for cooking in Hyderabad.