10 Types of delicious Biryani You Need to Try in India.

1. Lucknowi Biryani

Ingredients: 

500 gms Chicken (Skinless)

FOR MARINATION::

1 Tbsp Salt

1 Tbsp red Chili Powder

1/2 Tbsp Turmeric

1 Tbsp Coriander Powder

1 Tbsp Cumin Powder

2 Finely chopped Green Chilies

4 Tbsp Fried brown Onions (Sliced and deep fried till golden brown)

2 Tsp Freshly pound Garlic (can also use paste)

2 Tsp Freshly pound Ginger (can also use paste)

2 Cups of Curd

2 to 3 nos Mace crushed by hand

FOR COOKING THE CHICKEN::

2 Bayleaves

7 Tbsp of Oil or Ghee

1 Stick Cinamon

2 Cardamoms

4 Cloves

2-3 Black Cordamoms

1 Tbsp Coriander leaves

1 Tbsp Mint Leaves

FOR COOKING THE RICE::

1kg Biryani Rice

6 Tbsp of Salt

2 Tsp Shahi Jeera

2 Star Anis

FOR GARNISHING::

3 Tbsp Milk mixed with saffron

2 Tbsp coriander leaves

2 Tbsp mint leaves

5 tbsp of fried onion

Directions: 

To marinate the chicken, take all ingredients of marination (mentioned above) in a bowl add chicken and mix well. Marinate the Biryani for minimum 2 hours

Soak Basmati rice before hand, at least for 1 hour. Boil sufficient water for the rice. Make sure you use good quality Basmati rice. Add Shahi Jeera, salt and star anis to the water followed by the rice.

Make sure you don't over cook the rice, we need to cook it only till its 50% done. Once half done strain and set aside uncovered for the heat to escape

For Cooking the chicken, heat oil or ghee in a kadhai or wok. Add all the whole garam masalas mentioned in the list "FOR COOKING THE CHICKEN". Now add in the marinated chicken, mix well partially cover and let is cook for about 15-20 minutes on medium heat

After 15 minutes, you will see the oil starts to separate and float on top. Turn of the heat add coriander and mint leaves and set aside covered for 10 minutes

Time for Layering: Take a deep vessel, (Preferably with a tight lid) in which you can dum (slow steam heat) the Biryani. Apply some ghee at the bottom of the vessel. Add in the chicken first, spread evenly. Now add the half cooked rice and spread evenly.

Garnish the layered biryani with ingredients mentioned in "FOR GARNISHING".

Cover with a clean towel and place a heavy lid on top. If you don't have a heavy lid place some heavy object on top of the lid.

On very low heat let the biryani cook in its own steam for about 20 mins

When done, uncover and serve hot in layers.

2. Calcutta Biryani

INGREDIENTS

• Biryani Spices:
• Green cardamom: 6-7
• Black cardamom: 1-2
• Cloves: 1 tsp
• Cinnamon: 1” x 2
• Mace: 1 floret
• Nutmeg: ¼
• Star anise: 1
• Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
• Fennel: 1 tsp
• Black peppercorn: 1 tsp
• For Biryani Rice
• Basmati rice: 2 cups
• Bay leaves: 1
• Green cardamom: 3-4
• Black cardamom: 1
• Cloves: 4-5
• Cinnamon: 2” stick
• Mace: 1 floret
• Nutmeg: ¼
• Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
• Black peppercorn: 1 tsp
• Salt: 1 tsp
• Ghee or clarified butter: few drops
• For Marinade
• Chicken (with bone): 500g
• Hung curd: 3-5 tbsp
• Ginger Garlic paste, freshly made: 1 tbsp
• Red chili powder: 1 tsp
• Kashmiri red chili powder:1/2 tsp
• Black pepper powder: ⅓ tsp
• Biryani masala: 1 tbsp
• Salt: 1 tsp
• Other Ingredients
• Onion: 2, large
• Potato: 2-3, medium to large
• Hard-boiled egg: 3
• Saffron strands: 8-10
• Warm milk: ⅓ cup
• Metha Attar: 2-3 drops
• Kewra water: ½ tsp
• Ghee or clarified butter: ¼ cup

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Take a cast iron skillet or tava. Dry roast all the ingredients separately and make a powder of all dry roasted spices. This mixed spices is known as Biryani Masala.
2. In a large bowl beat hung curd, mix all ingredients (except salt and chicken) to make a smooth paste. Add chicken and salt and keep aside for 4-5 hrs or at least 1 hr.
3. Wash and clean the rice and soak for 30 mins. Make a pouch of muslin with all the ingredients of rice except rice, salt, ghee and bay leaves and seal. Bring water to boil with bay leaves, salt, ghee and spice-bag in a large pot, add rice and cook until rice is half done.
4. Drain water and spread the rice on a flat surface. Discard the bay leaves and spice-bag.
5. Heat 3 tbsp of ghee in a wok and fry thinly sliced onion till golden brown. This is known as Barista. Remove from oil and keep on paper towels until needed.
6. Fry potatoes and egg separately in the same pan. It will make the potatoes juicier and also gives a flavor to the eggs. Fry until potato is half-one. Remove from oil and keep them aside.
7. Shake off the marinade from chicken pieces and add chicken into the pan and continue frying on medium flame until chicken is half done. Remove chicken from oil and keep separately.
8. Now in the same pan add the reserved marinade, cook along with potato and eggs until raw smell is gone and oil floats on top of spices.
9. Soak the saffron strands in warm milk and keep aside for 5 mins. Rub the strands in milk to dissolve them completely. Add metha attar and kewra water and keep aside.
10. 
    Now take a large pot and arrange the rice, gravy, chicken, potato and eggs in layers separated by ghee, saffron milk only and biryani masala only. Cover the edge of the pan with atta dough and seal with the cover.
11. Heat a heavy duty iron tawa on gastop and place the biryani pot on it. Now cook it on lowest flame for 35-45 mins.
12. Once done switch off the flame, keep biryani on tawa for another 10-15 mins to absorb flavours. When ready to eat break seal of atta dough and serve Kolkata Chicken Dum Biryani immediately. 

3. Hyderabadi Chicken Biryani

For Biryani 3½ cups Water 2⅓ cups long-grain Basmati rice 4 Bay leaves ½ cup Warm Milk 1 pinch saffron strands ¼ cup ghee 2 onions thinly sliced 2 Green Chillies chopped For Marinade 500 gms Chicken Thighs or Drumsticks 10 black peppercorns 6 whole cloves 5 cardamom pods 2 Cinnamon Sticks 2 whole star anise 1 bunch of fresh coriander leaves 1 bunch of fresh mint leaves ½ tsp black cumin seeds 1 cup Yoghurt 2 tsp Lemon Juice 2 tsp Ginger Garlic Paste 2 tsp Red chilli powder ¼ tsp Turmeric Powder 1 tsp biryani masala Salt to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Grind black peppercorns, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, star anise and cumin seeds into a fine powder. Finely chop mint and coriander leaves.
2. Add dry spice mix, chopped mint and coriander leaves and other marinade ingredients in a mixing bowl and combine all of them. Add the chicken and coat it well. Use a plastic wrap to cover the bowl and let the marinated chicken sit in the refrigerator for about 2 hours.
3. Wash the rice thoroughly. Take a saucepan and add water and rice in it. Once it boils, add 2 bay leaves and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover and let it simmer until rice is partially cooked and is firm. This might take about 5 minutes. Once done, drain the rice. Add saffron to a bowl of milk, stir and keep it aside.
4. Add ghee to a large pot with a tight-fitting lid or a pressure cooker, heat it over medium-high flame. Stir in onions until golden brown for about 15 minutes. Drain them on a paper towel. Switch the flame to low and add bay leaves, chillies, and stir for about 1-2 minutes. Remove a tbsp of ghee from the pot and set it aside.
5. Add the chicken along with the marinade into the pot and cook for 2 minutes per side until it’s no longer pink. Spread the drained rice on top, sprinkle fried onions and drizzle ghee with saffron milk on top. Cook for 8-10 minutes over a high flame covered with a lid. Then reduce the flame to low and continue cooking for 5 minutes.
6. Turn off the flame and let it stand covered for about 15 minutes. Garnish with mint and coriander leaves on top. Serve hot with raita or green salad

4. Thalassery Biryani

Ingredients

• Onions, sliced evenly- thin and long- 7
• Oil- enough to fry onions (for more flavor, use half oil and half ghee)

For making Garam Masala

• Cardamom whole- 4
• Cloves whole- 3
• Cinnamon whole- 3 inch slice
• Ground Nutmeg- ¼ tsp
• Fennel powder- 2 tsp
• Cumin powder- ¼ tsp

To grind

• Ginger, chopped- 3 inch
• Garlic, chopped- 4 large cloves
• Green chilies- 6 to 8 (based on your spice level)

Making Chicken Masala

• Tomatoes, chopped- 7
• Chicken, bone-in- 10 pieces
• Mint leaves, chopped- 10 leaves
• Cilantro, chopped- ¼ cup
• Lemon juice- 2 tbsp
• Salt- to taste

For cooking Rice

• Kaima Rice or Jeerakasala rice- 2½ cups ( or use Basmati rice)
• Whole cardamom- 2
• Whole cloves- 2
• Whole cinnamon- 2 inch slice
• Bay leaves- 3
• Whole black peppercorns- 1 tsp
• Ghee- 2 tbsp
• Salt- a few pinches
• Water- 3 cups (to cook in rice cooker)

Other ingredients

• Cashew nuts, roasted- ½ cup
• Cilantro, chopped- 2 handfuls
• Fresh Mint leaves, chopped- 5 leaves
• Saffron- 2 pinches soaked in ¼ cup milk

Instructions

1. Slice the onions evenly to thin long slices, or use a food processor and use the slicer blade to slice onions.
2. Place a frying pan over medium heat, add oil or use half oil and half ghee and fry the onions in 5 batches till they turn golden brown in color. Transfer the fried onions to a kitchen paper towel and let it absorb the excess oil.
3. Keep aside the fried onions.
4. In a blender, blend the ingredients mentioned above for making the garam masala and keep aside.
5. In a blender or food processor, grind the ginger, garlic and green chilies, keep aside.

Cooking the Rice

1. For making this biryani, Kaima rice or jeerakasala rice is used. If not use Basmati rice.
2. I cooked the rice in a rice cooker.
3. Add the washed rice along with the other ingredients mentioned above for cooking rice. While cooking in rice cooker, you don't need to add too much water. For 2½ cups rice, 3 to 3½ cups water will be enough. Cook the rice and Keep aside.

Making the Chicken Masala

1. Place a large pan over medium heat, add the chopped tomatoes, let cook and turn mushy.
2. Add the ground ginger, garlic and green chilies, combine well and cook for a few minutes till the raw smell goes away.
3. Add the mint leaves, combine well.
4. Add chicken pieces, season with salt and cook along with ¼ cup water, cook covered till the chicken has cooked well.
5. Add ¾ th of the fried onions to the cooked chicken (keep aside the remaining fried onions- it will be used for topping the biryani).
6. Combine well and cook covered for 5 minutes so that the flavor of fried onions gets into the cooked chicken.
7. Add the prepared garam masala, combine well and cook for a couple of minutes.
8. Add chopped cilantro and lemon juice. Combine well.
9. If the mixture gets too dry, add a few tablespoons of water and cook for a minute.
10. Make sure the chicken masala is not watery. Taste and add more salt if needed.

Layering the rice and putting the biryani in Dum

1. In a bowl, soak the saffron in ¼ cup milk and keep aside for 5 minutes.
2. Evenly spread the chicken masala as the bottom layer of the pan.
3. Spread the cooked rice over the chicken masala.
4. Drizzle the saffron milk over the rice.
5. Spread the remaining fried onions, chopped mint, chopped cilantro and cashew nuts over the rice.
6. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and place a lid or round pizza pan over the pan.
7. Place the pan over very low heat and dum cook (dum means to breathe in) for 10 minutes.
8. You could also dum cook in an oven- preheat the oven to the lowest oven temperature, layer the chicken masala and rice and other ingredients in a deep dish, cover with aluminum foil and place it on the lower rack and cook for 10 minutes.
9. After 10 minutes of dum cooking, remove the pan from the heat or oven.
10. Let cool down for a few minutes.
11. Serve the biryani along with raita, pickle or pappad.
12. Remember, biryani tastes better the next day. You could cook this the previous night and keep in the refrigerator. Microwave or steam cook before serving.

5. Bombay Biryani

Ingredients

1. 1 kg chicken
2. 1 kg basmati rice
3. 3 medium onion
4. 4 diced tomato
5. 4 pcs quartered potato
6. 4 tbsp ginger garlic paste
7. 1 cup cooking oil
8. 1 cup yogurt
9. 2 tbsp red chilli powder
10. 1/2 tbsp turmeric powder
11. 1 tbsp coriander powder
12. 1 tbsp salt
13. 1 tbsp garam masala
14. 5 pcs dried plum with pits
15. 1/2 tsp zeera
16. 3 pcs green cardamom
17. 3 pcs cinnamon sticks
18. 3 pcs cloves
19. 2 pcs bay leaves

Steps

1. Fry onions till golden brown. Add tomatoes and fry till oil separates

2. Add meat,ginger garlic paste,yogurt, potatoes and all the other ingredients except rice. Stir fry for 10 minutes. Add 2 cups water. Cover and cook on low heat until meat is tender. Stir fry until oil separates from gravy

3. Separately : add 3 litres of boiling water and salt to the soaked rice. Boil until rice is 3/4 done. Remove the water.

4. Put half of the rice in pot and pour meat curry. Now put the remaining rice on top. Cover the pot and cook for 5 to 10 minutes untill rice is fully cooked

5. Mix before serving

6. Sindhi Biryani

INGREDIETNS 1 kg Chicken - (cut into medium pieces) 750 gms Rice 5 Onions - large (coarsely grounded) 11/2 tbsp Ginger Paste 1 1/2 tbsp Garlic Paste 1 tsp Turmeric powder 2 cloves Whole Spices - 2 Cardamom 1/2 tsp jeera Shah 3 Bay leaves 2 Cinnamon sticks 1/2 tsp Nutmeg crushed / Jaiphal 4 tbsps Masala Zaika Sindhi Biryani  (Red chilli powder, Dhania powder, Garam masala powder , dried plums) 5 Green chillies 3/4 cup curd Thick - (if sour then take only 1/2 cup) Salt - as needed 1/2 cup  Oil 2 tbsp Ghee Desi 2 tbsp Lemon juice 4 tbsp mint Fresh - (finely chopped) 4 tbsps coriander Fresh - (finely chopped) 1 tsp water Kewda - (optional) 1/2 cup onions Brista / Fried 7 to 8 Cashew Nuts Fried

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Wash, drain and soak rice in fresh water for 30-40 mins.
2. Wash chicken , drain water and keep aside.
3. Heat a large wok, add bay leaf and the whole spices.
4. As soon as the spices splutter, add ginger and garlic paste and fry till golden.
5. Now add coarsely grounded onions and fry nicely till the raw smell goes off and the onion become golden in color.
6. Add chicken pieces and curd. Mix all together very nicely such that the curd and the onion masala gets properly coated on chicken. You may see the curd leaving water from sides. Close the lid and let the chicken cook for 10 -15 mins. You can also add slitted green chillies and some mint now.
7. Now add Turmeric powder , salt and Zaika Sndhi Biryani Masala and mix all together such that the masala gets incorporated well. Adjust oil if needed. Fry well for another 10 - 15 mins till the masala gets thick and oil starts leaving from sides. Keep regulating the flames to avoid the masala sticking to the bottom.
8. Meanwhile, separately par-boil rice till 3/4 done with little lemon juice, salt and 1 tsp oil (to avoid rice getting sticky). Strain well and spread them on a large tray to get perfect separate grains.

Assembling and Dum :

1. In a Handi spread 2 tbsp of curd on the base (this helps to avoid masala sticking at the bottom while giving dum)
2. Layer the cooked chicken first at the bottom. Sprinkle little mint and chopped coriander.
3. Now layer the par boiled rice over the chicken. Spread evenly and add ghee over it.
4. Now garnish with remaining chopped coriander and mint, fried cashew nuts, brista.
5. Sprinkle some lemon juice and kewda water all over (optional).
6. Cover the handi with Aluminium foil, seal the sides and close the lid (you can also seal the lid with dough)
7. Place an iron tawa on the gas and heat it. Now place the sealed handi on it and simmer the gas. Let the biryani cook on dum for 15 -20 mins
8. Serve hot with thick minty raita and salad :-

   
   

Note :

1. Heat enough water for rice, add rice only after the water is hot. Cook till 3/4 done and drain immediately.
2. Before putting the biryani on dum, make sure the handi or the vessel is sealed properly. It is very important because during dum the heated generated inside helps the par boiled rice to cook completely and the flavors get infused well.
3. Kewda water is totally optional, but i would recommend it as it gives a royal aroma to the biryani.
4. Fried onions are now a days available ready made but you can make them at home by frying finely sliced onions. Make them crisp, store in an air tight jar for further use.

7. Ambur Biryani

Ingredients

• 500 grams Seeraga (Jeeraga) Samba rice , washed and soaked
• 1 tablespoon Ghee
• 1 Bay leaf (tej patta)
• 1 Star anise
• 1 Cinnamon Stick (Dalchini)
• 2 Cardamom (Elaichi) Pods/Seeds
• 1 clove Cloves (Laung)
• 500 grams Chicken , cleaned and washed
• 4 tablespoons Oil
• 2 inch Ginger , finely chopped
• 4 cloves Garlic , finely chopped
• 3 Onions , sliced
• 2 Tomatoes , chopped
• 3 teaspoons Red Chilli powder
• Salt , to taste
• 2 teaspoons Coriander Powder (Dhania)
• 3 tablespoons Curd (Dahi / Yogurt)
• 1/4 cup Mint Leaves (Pudina) , roughly torn

How to make Ambur Star Chicken Biryani Recipe

1. To begin making the Ambur Star Chicken Biryani, thoroughly wash and clean the chicken and set aside. Soak the Seeraga samba rice, for a minimum of 30 minutes.

2. In an open pan, add ghee, bay leaf, star anise, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom. To this add 2 cups of water and bring to a single boil. Add the washed and drained rice and cook until the rice is about 70% cooked.  (The rice grain should be undercooked in the center) Set aside.

3. In a deep kadai, on medium flame, heat 4 tablespoons of oil, add the sliced onions and cook till transparent for about 5-7 minutes.

4. At this stage mix in the ginger paste, garlic paste and salt. Saute for a couple of minutes.

5. Mix in the chopped tomatoes and cook until they are soft.  At this stage add in the red chilli powder and coriander seeds powder.

6. Once the onion-tomato mixture comes together, slightly tilt the kadai, and remove the excess oil, spoon by spoon into a small cup/katori.

7. Now that the excess oil has been drained out, add the yogurt/curd and chicken and mix well. Allow the chicken to cook until almost done to about 80%.  Mix in the mint leaves

8. To assemble to biryani, while the chicken continues to be in the kadai, add the 70% cooked seeraga samba rice on top of the chicken pieces and pour the excess flavoured oil over the rice and cover the kadai with a plate. 

9. Turn the flame to the lowest heat possible. 

10. In a saucepan, boil water and turn off the flame and place this hot pan on the lid of the kadai. This process is done in order to seal the kadai in which the biryani is cooking. The heat from the hot water in the saucepan provides heat from the top, while there is heat from the bottom as well creating the effect of "Dum". 

11. Let the biryani sit on this "Dum" for a good 20 minutes. 

12. After 20 minutes open the lid and lightly fluff up the biryani with a fork and serve piping hot.

13. Serve the Ambur Star Chicken Biryani  along with Tadka Raita Recipe (Spiced Curd With Onions) and Chettinad Kathirikai Chops Recipe for Sunday Lunch.

8. Tehari Biryani

Chicken Ingredients:

Chicken 5 pcs

Cooking oil 1/4 cup

Mustard oil 1/4 cup

Bay leaves 2 leaves, Cardamom 4, Cinnamon 4 sticks, Cloves 4

Onion sliced 1 cup

Garlic paste 1 tbsp

Ginger paste 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Hot water 1 cup

Plain yogurt 1/4 cup

Sugar 1 tsp

Nutmeg and Mace 1/4 tsp

Prunes 5 pcs

Rice Ingredients:

Cooking oil 1/8 cup

Mustard oil 1/4 cup

Onion chopped 1 cup

White basmati rice 3 cup

Hot water 3 cup

Green chili sliced 6 pcs

Preparation:

Wash and soak basmati rice in a bowl for at least 1hr before cooking. Drain the water and keep it aside.

Directions:

In a heated pan, add cooking oil and mustard oil, add bay leaves, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and onion. Sauté until onions are translucent. Add chicken pieces, garlic, ginger paste, and salt to taste. Saute chicken at high heat, add yogurt mix ( yogurt + sugar), nutmeg, mace, and prunes. Continue to sauté for 10 mins at high heat. Add 1 cup of hot water to cook the chicken under a closed lid. Cook for 10 mins at high heat, occasionally stirring in between. The chicken will have gravy that will be mixed with rice.

In another pan, add mustard oil, cooking oil, and chopped onions. Saute onions until they are translucent. Add soaked basmati rice, hot water, and salt to taste. Close the lid and cook rice until it's half done at high heat. Add chicken mix into the pan with rice and mix them all together. Add green chili and cook tehari further under low heat and closed lid. Cook for 20 mins at dome (dome is a process to cook at very low heat and closed lid. This process can also be substituted for baking in the oven).

9. Dindigul Biryani

Ingredients:

Ghee – 2 tblspn
Oil – 3 tblspn
Basmati Rice / Jeera Chamba Rice- 2 cup
Onion – 1 large sliced thinly
Green Chilli – 3 slit
Ginger Garlic Paste – 3 tblspn
Chilli Powder – 2 tsp
Turmeric Powder – 1 tsp
Coriander Leaves – 1/2 cup chopped
Mint Leaves – 1/2 cup chopped
Thick Coconut Milk – 1 cup
Water – 2 cup
Salt to taste
 
For Marinating:
Chicken – 500 gram chicken on the bone
Thick Unsour Curd – 1 cup
Chilli powder – 1 tsp
Salt to taste

For Briyani Masala Powder:
Fennel Seeds / Sombu / Saunf – 1.5 tblspn
Cinnamon Stick / Pattai – 2 small stick
Cardamom Pods / Yelakai – 4
Star Anise – 1
Cloves / Krambu – 4

Method:

Marinate chicken with the given ingredients for 10 mins,You can leave it in the fridge overnight.

Grind the ingredients given for the briyani masala to a fine powder.

Wash and soak the basmati rice for 30 mins.

Now make the masala. Heat oil and ghee in a frying pan.

Add in onions, green chilli and saute till light golden.

Now add in ginger garlic paste and saute for a min.

Add in turmeric, chilli powder and the ground masala.. Saute it for a min.

Now add in the marinated chicken along with the marination. Saute it for 5 mins so the chicken gets coated with the masala. 

Now cover the pan and cook on a low heat for 15 mins.

Transfer the masala to a pressure cooker. In the same kadai. Add a tsp of ghee and fry the soaked and drained rice for 5 mins or so. Once it is coated well with the ghee, add it back into the pressure cooker.

Add in coriander leaves and mint leaves, coconut milk and water. Add salt to taste

Now bring everything to a boil. Cover the pressure cooker and let everything cook for 1 whistle on high. Simmer the flame and let it sit for 15 mins. Once 15 mins is over, switch off the flame and let the steam escape all by itself. Once the pressure is released. Open the cooker and fluff the rice with a fork.

Serve the briyani with raita.

10. Kalyani Biryani

Ingredients

 5-6 servings

1. 1 1/2 kg Basmati Rice
2. 2 kg Beef boneless
3. 1/4 cup Ginger garlic paste
4. 1 tsp Turmeric powder
5. 2-3 tbsp Salt or to taste
6. 3-4 tbsp Red Chilli powder
7. 5-6 Green Chillies slit
8. 2 tsp Garam Masala
9. 2 small bunches Coriander Leaves finely chopped
10. 2 bunches Mint Leaves
11. 1/2 kg Yoghurt
12. 750 ml Oil
13. 1 kg Onions thinly sliced
14. WHOLE SPICES -
15. 12-14 Cloves
16. 1 tbsp Caraway Seeds
17. 3-4 Cinnamon sticks (1 inch)
18. 6-7 Cardamom pods
19. 6-7 Green Chillies whole
20. 1 Lemon medium sized
21. as required Water for cooking Rice
22. 1 tbsp Ghee
23. 7-8 Saffron strands
24. 1/4 cup Milk

Steps

1. Marinate Beef with all the ingredients including the Yoghurt except the whole spices. Add the chopped Coriander and Mint too. Do not forget to add the raw Papaya paste too along with the Lemon juice.

   
   
   Keep enough water to boil for the rice. Soak rice only until the water starts boiling. That means, wash and soak Rice just as you keep water for cooking it. As soon as it starts boiling, add soaked Rice, whole spices, some chopped Mint and Coriander leaves to it. Also add a few Green Chillies.

3. Remember to boil it for about 20 minutes or just until it vigorously starts bubbling. The grains should be firm. Do not stir it hard. Otherwise they tend to break. Check if they can be easily crushed. This is the right time to switch off the heat. The rice needs to be about 90% cooked. Firm and not mushy. Drain the water and keep it aside.

4. Meanwhile deep fry the sliced onions. Spread them on a plate and after about 5 minutes, crush them with your hands and add to the marination. Also add the Oil in which they are fried after it cools down. Mix well.

   
   Now comes the final part of slow cooking (called as dum). Layer the rice and meat as per your choice, only thing to taken care of is that the top most layer should be that of rice. Sprinkle some Saffron soaked milk on top. Add a generous dollop of ghee on top (optional) and cover it well either by an aluminium foil or a wet thick cotton cloth sealing the corners of the lid.

6. I always prefer an aluminium foil. For the first 15 minutes, keep it on a high heat, rotating the vessel every now and then. After 15 minutes, lower the heat and let it simmer for about 30-35 minutes. Turn off the heat after the stipulated time and let the Biryani sit for sometime.

   
   

7. Serve hot with Burhani raita or plain curd and Baghare Baingan alongside. Mirchi ka Saalan is also a lovely combination that one can consider. 

   
   

8. Thank for reading our article.💝💝