biryani rice or biryani chawal recipe with step by step photos – i remember biryani rice often being ordered by my parents when we would go out for dinners or parcel the food for home.

biryani rice 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.

so much so, that my dad would get palak paneer or dal makhani and biryani rice especially for me, when he would get food from out. after having biryani rice 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 khuska/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 rice serve some boondi raita or onion-tomato raita or a kuchumber and you have 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.

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biryani rice recipe

biryani rice is a light, aromatic rice dish. biryani rice is easy to prepare and goes very well with any rich vegetarian curry or dal.

course main course

cuisine north indian

prep time 25 minutes

cook time 15 minutes

total time 40 minutes

servings 3 to 4

author dassana amit

ingredients (1 cup = 250 ml)

for making biryani rice

• 1 cup basmati rice or 200 grams basmati rice
• 1.5 to 1.75 cups water
• 2 tablespoon oil or ghee
• 1 medium tej patta (indian bay leaf)
• 3 to 4 cloves (lavang)
• 4 to 5 whole black pepper (sabut kali mirch)
• 1 small star anise (chakriphool)
• 1 inch cinnamon (dalchini)
• 3 to 4 green cardamoms (chotti elaichi)
• 2 to 3 single strands of mace (javitri)
• ½ teaspoon shahjeera (caraway seeds)
• 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste Or 3 to 4 garlic cloves + ½ inch ginger - crushed to a paste in mortar-pestle
• 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves (dhania patta)
• 1 tablespoon mint leaves (pudina patta)
• 18 to 20 saffron strands (kesar)
• 5 to 6 drops of lemon juice
• salt as required

for garnish

• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced Or ⅓ cup thinly sliced onions
• 10 to 12 cashews (kaju)
• ½ to 1 tablespoon oil
• a few mint leaves or coriander leaves for garnish

how to make biryani rice recipe

soaking rice

1. rinse the basmati rice for a couple of times in water.

2. soak the basmati rice in water for 30 minutes. 

3. later drain and keep aside.

making biryani rice

1. heat oil or ghee in a pressure cooker.

2. add the caraway seeds along with the whole spices and saute them till fragrant.

3. now add the ginger-garlic paste, chopped coriander and mint leaves.
4. saute till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic disappears.

5. then add the soaked rice and saffron strands. stir gently.

6. now add water, 5 to 6 drops of lemon juice and salt.

7. pressure cook for 1 to 2 whistles or for 6 to 7 minutes.

8. if cooking in a pan, then cover the pan tightly with a lid. let the cook rice till its just done.
9. 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.
10. if you feel the water is less, then just add the required amount of hot water.
11. cover and let the rice cook till done.

making garnish for biryani rice

1. whilst the rice is cooking, heat oil in a small pan.
2. add the sliced onions and fry till they become golden.
3. add a pinch of salt so that the onions brown quickly.
4. remove and drain them on paper tissues so that the extra oil is soaked.
5. in the same pan, roast the cashews till golden.
6. while being served, garnish the biryani rice with the fried onions, cashews, mint leaves.

7. you can serve biryani rice with with any rich vegetarian curry or dal.

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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, 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 on kitchen paper tissues.

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

dassana amit

Founder, Designer, Recipe Developer, Food Photographer || MORE ABOUT US

i started vegrecipesofindia.com in feb 2009. it is a pure vegetarian blog and shares recipes with step by step photos that will help you to make delicious and tasty vegetarian food easily.

i am passionate about cooking from childhood and learnt cooking from my elders. having a home science degree surely enhanced my cooking & baking skills which i now share as fool proof recipes on the blog. i am trained both in mainstream indian as well as international cuisines.