How to make Hyderabadi Biryani - A fragrant biryani from the land of the Nizams.

The name of Hyderabad Biryani is sufficient itself to explain its significance. It is one of world famous dish from India, inherent to Hyderabad. The speciality of this Hyderabadi biryani are its subtlety of taste, erudition of method, flamboyance of style, coupled with flavours of spices and delicately combined with rice and chicken makes together mouth-watering delicious food.

How to make Hyderabadi chicken biryani/biriyani

Hyderabadi chicekn biryani has two major ingredients – chicken and basmati rice. The rest is playing around with ingredients and spice mix to create this flavourful delight.

Ingredients for Hyderabadi Biryani Recipe

Mutton/chicken - 500 grams

Basmati rice 1 1/2 cups

Bay leaves 2

Green cardamoms 10

Black peppercorns 25-30

Cinnamon 3 inch sticks

Caraway seeds (shahi jeera) 1/2 teaspoon

Cloves 10

Fresh coriander leaves torn 2 tablespoons

Fresh mint leaves torn 2 tablespoons

Pure ghee 4 tablespoons

Black cardamoms 2

Saffron (kesar) mix in 1/4 cup milk a few strands

Oil 1 tablespoon + to deep fry

Onions sliced 5 large

Marination for Hyderabadi chicken biriyani recipe

Ginger paste 1 tablespoon

Garlic paste 1 tablespoon

¼ tbsp. turmeric

3-5 green chillies slit ( adjustable)

Yogurt 1 cup+ curd

2 tbsps. Lemon juice (adjustable)

Salt to taste

1-2 tbsp Kashmiri/byadgi red chilli powder

½ tbsp. biryani masala powder

¼ tbsp. green cardamom powder

Hyderabadi Biryani is of two types:

the Kachchi (raw) Biryani.  it is prepared with raw meat marinated(soaked) with spices overnight and then soaked in yogurt before cooking. The gosht (meat) is sandwiched between layers of fragrant long-grained basmati rice, and cooked on dum (steaming over coals), after sealing the handi (vessel) with dough. This is a challenging process as it requires meticulous attention to time and temperature to avoid over- or under-cooking the meat.

Hyderbadi biryani traces its origin, during the time of  Nawab Asaf Jah,I, in the form of Kachhi method.

The Pakki (cooked) Biryani- in a Pakki biryani, the meat is marinated for a shorter time, and cooked before being layered with the rice and cooked in a dough-sealed vessel. In Pakki Aqni (with cooked gravy), the ingredients are cooked before baking.

Cooking Method for Hyderabadi Biryani Recipe-in 5 steps

Step 1

Marinate the chicken with the ingredients mentioned above. Set aside for overnight, if not at least 2-3 hours before cooking.

Now take a deep pan, add five to six cups of water and heat it. Add washed and drained rice, salt, bay leaves, five green cardamoms, seven to eight black peppercorns, one cinnamon stick in the pan and cook till three fourth done.

Step 2

Drain and set aside. Heat appropriate oil in a kadai and deep-fry half the onion slices till turns to light red. For access oil you can drain fried onion on absorbent paper (optional). Grind caraway seeds, one cinnamon stick, remaining black peppercorns, cloves and remaining green cardamoms to a fine powder and set aside.

Step 3

Take chicken pieces in a bowl. Add ginger paste, garlic paste and salt and mix. Add the spice powder, red chilli powder, half the fried onions crushed, yogurt, coriander leaves, half of the mint leaves and one tablespoon oil and mix. Let it marinate for about two hours in the refrigerator.

Step 4

Heat two tablespoons ghee in a pan, remaining cinnamon and black cardamoms and sauté till fragrant. Add remaining onions and sauté till light red. Add marinated chicken, stir and cook on high heat for three to four minutes. Cover, reduce heat and cook till almost done.

Step 5

Heat the remaining ghee in a thick-bottomed pan. Spread half the rice in a layer. Spread the chicken over the rice. Sprinkle remaining torn mint leaves. Spread the remaining rice. Sprinkle saffron milk. Cover and cook under dum till done. Serve hot with a raita of your choice.

Enjoy.

Try our raita recipe here.