Biryani rice Recipe with step by step photos. Biryani rice is a light, aromatic rice dish and goes well with any rich vegetarian curry or dal. Gluten-free and vegan recipe.

I remember biryani chawal often being ordered by my parents when we would go out for dinners or parcel the food for home. It was one rice dish that was always ordered. My parents would have the rice with some chicken curry and I would have the rice with palak paneer or dal makhani. Strange but a fact. This was always my favorite combination squeezed with some lemon juice on top.

Get My Secrets to Great Indian Food

biryani rice recipe, biryani chawal recipe

So much so, that my dad would get palak paneer or dal makhani and biryani chawal especially for me, when he would get food from out. After having biryani chawal in various places, I have come to a really good version of making this rice dish at home.

There are many variations of this recipe. in the south they make a similar dish which goes by the name Kuska rice. the vegetarian version is made with coconut milk or yogurt.

Biryani rice is basically spiced rice. the rice is cooked with spices. So what is the difference between Jeera rice and biryani rice. In jeera rice, the rice has flavors of cumin along with other spices. Whereas in biryani rice, the rice is just cooked with spices & herbs.

To add some texture and flavor to the rice, I have also garnished with fried onions and cashews. And yes these two do add a lot to this recipe of biryani rice.

For some color and aroma, I have used saffron. However if you are comfortable with artificial coloring, then you can use yellow or orange color. But my suggestion would be to go for natural based coloring ingredients.

This biryani rice, is best served with any rich curry like paneer butter masala, shahi paneer, malai kofta, baingan masala, bagara baingan. Also goes well with dal tadka or dal fry.

Along with biryani chawal serve some boondi raita or onion-tomato raita or a kuchumber and you have a meal fit for a king. Remember to have some nice Indian dessert towards the end of the meal like kulfi or falooda or gulab jamun.

How to make biryani rice

1. rinse 1 cup basmati rice for a couple of times in water, till the water runs clear of starch. soak the basmati rice in water for 30 minutes. Later drain and keep aside.

2. Heat 2 tbsp oil or ghee in a pressure cooker or a thick bottomed pan. Add ½ tsp caraway seeds along with the whole spices – 1 tej patta (Indian bay leaf), 3 to 4 cloves, 4 to 5 black pepper, 1 small star anise, 1 inch cinnamon, 3 to 4 green cardamoms and 2 to 3 single strands of mace. Saute them till fragrant.

3. Now add the 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste, 1 tbsp chopped coriander and 1 tbsp chopped mint leaves.

4. Stir and saute till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic disappears.

5. Add the soaked rice grains and 18 to 20 saffron strands.

6. Stir gently and saute for a minute.

7. add 1.5 to 1.75 cups of water. Depending on the quality of rice, you can add less or more water.

8. stir well.

9. Season with salt.

10. Squeeze 5 to 6 drops of lemon juice. Stir.

11. Cover the pressure cooker tightly with its lid and pressure cook on medium to high flame for 1 to 2 whistles or for 6 to 7 minutes. Depending on the size of the cooker, the time will vary. So for a 2 litre cooker, it takes about 8 to 10 minutes and for a 3 litre cooker, it takes about 6 to 7 minutes.

For cooking in a pan – if cooking in a pan, then cover the pan tightly with a lid. Let the rice cook till its just done. the rice grains should be cooked well and yet remain separate. They should not become soft or mushy. While cooking in a pan, check in between But don’t stir as this will break the rice grains. if you feel the water is less, then just add the required amount of hot water.

12. When the pressure settles down on its own, open the lid and gently fluff the rice.

Making garnish for biryani rice

13. Meanwhile while the rice is pressure cooking, prepare the garnish and its totally optional. Heat ½ tbsp oil in a small frying pan and add ⅓ cup thinly sliced onions.

14. Stir well and saute on a low to medium flame stirring often. add a pinch of salt so that the onions brown quickly.

15. Saute till the onions turn golden.

16. Remove and drain them on kitchen paper tissues so that the extra oil is soaked.

17. In the same pan, add 10 to 12 cashews.

18. Saute the cashews till golden.

19. Remove the golden cashews and place them on kitchen paper tissues.

20. while being served, Garnish the biryani rice with the fried onions, cashews and chopped mint leaves or coriander leaves.

More tasty rice recipes for you!