Hyderabadi biryani grew out of the kitchens of the Nizams, and its most prized form is the kachchi style, where raw marinated meat and par-boiled rice are layered and cooked together under a seal. The meat cooks in the steam of the rice while the rice absorbs the juices of the meat. Getting both done at once is the test of a biryani cook.
The finished biryani has long, separate grains of basmati in white, yellow and saffron-orange, with tender chicken that is spiced, tangy from curd and lemon, and fragrant with mint, fried onions and kewra. It is the dish of every Hyderabadi wedding and Eid, and of countless Sunday lunches. Every family guards its own ratio of rice to meat and its own garam masala blend.
At a glance
| Region | Telangana |
|---|---|
| Cuisine | Hyderabadi |
| Diet | Non-vegetarian |
| Course | Rice |
| Prep time | 40 minutes |
| Cook time | 60 minutes |
| Total time | 100 minutes |
| Serves | 5 |
| Spice level | Hot |
| Difficulty | Hard |
| Gluten-free | Yes |
| Key ingredients | chicken / basmati rice / curd / fried onions / saffron |
Ingredients
For the marinade
- 1 kg chicken, large bone-in pieces
- 1 cup thick curd
- 1.5 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 2 tsp red chilli powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1.5 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 tsp shahi jeera, crushed
- 4 green chillies, slit
- 1/2 cup chopped mint
- 1/2 cup chopped coriander
- 1 cup birista (fried onions from 3 large onions)
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 3 tbsp ghee
- 2 tbsp oil from frying the onions
- 1.5 tsp salt
For the rice
- 3 cups aged basmati rice, soaked 30 minutes
- 12 cups water
- 2 tbsp salt
- 4 green cardamoms, 4 cloves, 1 inch cinnamon, 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp shahi jeera
- 1 tbsp oil
For layering
- a large pinch of saffron in 1/4 cup warm milk
- 3 tbsp ghee
- 2 tbsp chopped mint
- 2 tbsp chopped coriander
- 1/2 cup birista
- 1 tsp kewra water
- atta dough for sealing
Method
- Mix all the marinade ingredients into the chicken in the heavy, wide pot you will cook the biryani in. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Bring to room temperature before cooking.
- Bring 12 cups of water to a rolling boil with the salt, whole spices, shahi jeera and oil. The water should taste distinctly salty.
- Add the drained rice. Boil on high heat and start checking at 4 minutes: when the grains are about 70 percent cooked, they break when pressed but still have a firm core, scoop out a third of the rice with a slotted spoon and spread it over the chicken.
- Boil the remaining rice for another minute and layer half of it over the first layer. Cook the rest another minute until about 85 percent done and spread it on top. Drain well, so very little water goes into the pot.
- Drizzle the saffron milk, ghee and kewra water over the rice and scatter mint, coriander and the remaining birista.
- Seal the lid with a rope of atta dough, or cover tightly with foil and then the lid.
- Cook on high heat for 5 minutes until you hear the marinade sizzle and steam starts to build. Then place the pot on a hot iron tawa and cook on low heat for 35-40 minutes.
- Switch off and rest for 10 minutes. Open the seal and serve by scooping from the side so each portion has chicken from the bottom and rice from all layers.
Tips
- Use a heavy pot and a tawa underneath during dum to prevent the chicken from burning.
- Large chicken pieces with bone hold up to the long dum without drying out.
- Aged basmati gives long, separate grains; new-crop rice breaks.
Serve with
Mirchi ka salan and onion-cucumber raita (burani).