Recipe of the day: Indulgent mutton biryani that is perfect for sharing

As the cold season settles in, it’s the perfect time to slow down, savour comforting meals and cook with intention. From slow-simmered stews and briyani to fragrant curries and wholesome soups, winter calls for dishes that warm both body and soul.

To inspire your winter menu, the Wonderbag team has curated a hearty seasonal recipe designed to warm your table, home and heart. Fragrant spices, tender mutton and layered aromatic rice come together in this comforting winter mutton biryani perfect for sharing on cold days.

Serves: 4
Prep time: 30 minutes
Stovetop time: 35 minutes
Wonderbag Time: 4-5 hours

Ingredients

• 1.5kg mutton on the bone
• 2 cups whole lentils
• 2 cups rice for the briyani
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 4 cardamom pods
• 5g cumin
• 4 green chillies
• 250ml Greek yoghurt or sour milk
• 30g fresh tomato, chopped
• 2 sprigs mint
• 2.5g saffron
• 7 red chillies, crushed
• 6 small potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 375ml ghee or oil
• 2 medium onions

Method

1. Fry the onions in half the ghee or oil until pale golden. Drain and reserve the cooking fat.
2. Set aside 1 tablespoon of fried onions for garnish.
3. Place the meat in a bowl and combine with saffron, ginger, garlic, yoghurt, tomatoes, spices, remaining fried onions, mint and chillies. Marinate for 1 hour.
4. Boil the lentils in salted water until tender, then drain.
5. Cook the briyani’s rice with 2 cardamom pods and 1 cinnamon stick until half-cooked. Drain.
6. Fry the potatoes in the reserved ghee or oil until lightly golden. Set aside.
7. In a large flat-bottomed pot, heat the remaining ghee or oil. Layer a handful of rice and lentils at the base.
8. Add the marinated meat mixture, followed by the remaining lentils, potatoes and finally the remaining rice.
9. Garnish with reserved fried onions, drizzle over remaining ghee and add 125ml water.
10. Cover and simmer on high heat for 5 minutes, then reduce to low heat and cook for 30 minutes.
11. Transfer the sealed pot into the Wonderbag and leave to cook for 4-5 hours.
12. Serve you briyani with fresh coriander, poppadums and minted sour milk.

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Recipe of the day: Indulgent Mutton Biryani perfect for sharing

Fragrant spices, tender mutton, and layered aromatic rice come together in this comforting winter biryani perfect for sharing on cold days. Serves: 4. Prep time: 30 minutes. Stovetop time: 35 minutes. Wonderbag Time: 4–5 hours.

• Author: Wonderbag

Ingredients

Scale
1x2x3x

• 1.5kg mutton on the bone
• 2 cups whole lentils
• 2 cups rice
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 4 cardamom pods
• 5g cumin
• 4 green chillies
• 250ml Greek yoghurt or sour milk
• 30g fresh tomato, chopped
• 2 sprigs mint
• 2.5g saffron
• 7 red chillies, crushed
• 6 small potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 375ml ghee or oil
• 2 medium onions

Instructions

1. Fry the onions in half the ghee or oil until pale golden. Drain and reserve the cooking fat.
2. Set aside 1 tablespoon of fried onions for garnish.
3. Place the meat in a bowl and combine with saffron, ginger, garlic, yoghurt, tomatoes, spices, remaining fried onions, mint, and chillies. Marinate for 1 hour.
4. Boil the lentils in salted water until tender, then drain.
5. Cook the rice with 2 cardamom pods and 1 cinnamon stick until half-cooked. Drain.
6. Fry the potatoes in the reserved ghee or oil until lightly golden. Set aside.
7. In a large flat-bottomed pot, heat the remaining ghee or oil. Layer a handful of rice and lentils at the base.
8. Add the marinated meat mixture, followed by the remaining lentils, potatoes, and finally the remaining rice.
9. Garnish with reserved fried onions, drizzle over remaining ghee, and add 125ml water.
10. Cover and simmer on high heat for 5 minutes, then reduce to low heat and cook for 30 minutes.
11. Transfer the sealed pot into the Wonderbag and leave to cook for 4–5 hours.
12. Serve with fresh coriander, poppadums, and minted sour milk.

With rising electricity costs and load-reduction still affecting several areas across South Africa, spending hours at the stove isn’t always practical.

For many South Africans, the cooking bag, a proudly South African and revolutionary non-electric slow cooker, is helping South African families enjoy nourishing home-cooked meals while using less energy.

It allows you to place your pot inside the Wonderbag and bring it to a boil before you seal it (often with some newspaper, and let it continue slow cooking for hours with no electricity required.

Recipe supplied by Wonderbag.