Hyderabadi Biryani
Prep Time:
~ 3 hours (including meat marinade)
Cooking Time:
1 hour
Servings:
~4–6 (typically one handi serves 4)
Calories:
480 kcal (about 202 kcal/100g). Biryani is a complete meal, high in carbs and protein.
Diet:
Traditionally non-vegetarian (chicken or mutton). A vegetarian version (with mixed vegetables or paneer) is common and similarly nutritious.
Level:
Medium
Origin/Cuisine:
Hyderabad, India (Nizam’s royal kitchens)
About the Cuisine
Hyderabadi Dum Biryani in a traditional handi, layered with saffron-scented basmati rice and richly spiced meat.
Hyderabadi biryani is a famous rice-and-meat dish from Hyderabad, India, dating back to the Mughal-Nizam era. It “originated in the kitchen of the Nizams of Hyderabad” and blends Mughlai and local Telugu cooking traditions. (Some legends trace its Persian roots via Emperor Aurangzeb’s conquest in the 1630s.) There are two classic cooking styles: Kacchi (meat marinated and layered raw with rice, then slow-cooked) and Pakki (meat is cooked first, then layered with rice). Spices like saffron, kewra/rose water, green cardamom, cloves and fried onions give Hyderabadi biryani its aroma.
Historically, Hyderabadi biryani was a royal dish and remains a festive staple. It is typically served with mirchi ka salan (spicy chilli–peanut gravy) and raita. According to one study, “both veg biryani and non-veg biryani have their own nutritive values,” and using long-grain basmati (gluten-free) makes it easily digestible. Indeed, a single heaped serving (about 300g) can reach around 480 calories, mainly from rice and fat.
Ingredients
1. Basmati rice: 300 g (aged, 1½ cups), rinsed
2. Chicken: 500 g (skinless, bone‑in thighs & drumsticks)
3. Grandma’s Special Nuska Biryani Masala: 2 g (½ teaspoon)
4. Onion: 1 large (thinly sliced)
5. Ghee or oil: 60 ml (4 tbsp)
6. Yoghurt (curd): 165 ml (2/3 cup)
7. Lemon juice: 15 ml (1 tbsp)
8. Ginger-garlic paste: 15 ml (1 tbsp)
9. Green chillies: 2, slit
10. Grandma’s Special Nuska Turmeric powder: 0.5 g (¼ tsp)
11. Grandma’s Special Nuska Kashmiri Chilli Powder: 3 g (adjust to taste)
12. Grandma’s Special Nuska Cardamom: 1 g (¼ tsp)
13. Salt: 5 g (¾ tsp)
14. Fresh cilantro (coriander leaves): 15 g (chopped)
15. Fresh mint: 15 g (chopped)
16. Saffron: a pinch, soaked in 15 ml hot milk
Preparation
1. Marinate chicken: In a bowl, combine yoghurt, ginger-garlic paste, green chillies, lemon juice, turmeric, chilli powder, garam masala and salt. Mix well – the yoghurt and spices will tenderise the. Add chicken pieces, coat thoroughly, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (up to overnight).
2. Prepare rice: Rinse and soak basmati rice for 30 minutes. Boil water in a large pot with salt (6 g) and a splash of oil. Add whole spices (bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom) if desired, then the drained rice. Cook until about 75% done (grains still firm). Drain and set aside.
3. Fry onions: In a deep pot or Dutch oven, heat ghee/oil (30 ml) and fry the sliced onion over medium heat, stirring, until golden brown and crisp. Remove and drain on paper towels.
4. Layer biryani: Spread the marinated chicken (with any marinade) evenly in the bottom of the pot. Sprinkle half of the fried onions, half of the mint and cilantro over it. Then layer the par-boiled rice on top. Sprinkle the remaining fried onions, mint and cilantro. Drizzle saffron-infused milk over the rice, and dot with remaining ghee. Optionally, sprinkle another pinch of biryani masala.
5. Dum (steaming): Cover the pot tightly with a lid and cook on very low heat (placing on a griddle/tawa to diffuse heat) for 20–25 minutes until chicken is cooked through and rice is fluffy. (Alternatively, bake at 200 °C for 30–40 minutes.)
6. Rest and serve: Turn off the heat and let the biryani rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Gently fluff the rice and serve hot, garnished with extra cilantro, raita, pappadom and lime pickle.
Notes (Variations)
Vegetarian: Omit chicken and use mixed vegetables (e.g. peas, carrots, potatoes) or chunks of paneer instead. Layer and cook the same way; you may increase yoghurt/milk and spice quantities slightly.
Vegan: Substitute yoghurt with thick coconut yoghurt and use oil instead of ghee. Use plant-based butter or omit for drizzle.
Pescatarian: Use peeled prawns or fish chunks (e.g. firm white fish) in place of chicken; reduce cooking time accordingly.
Grandma's Nuska
For extra flavour, soak a pinch of saffron strands in warm milk and drizzle it over the rice layers. Fry onions until dark brown and spread them between layers for sweetness. Soaking the meat in yoghurt with a little papaya paste overnight will tenderise it.
