Biryani

Biryani (/bɜːrˈjɑːni/) is a mixed rice dish popular in South Asia, made with rice, meat (chicken, goat, lamb, beef) or seafood (prawns or fish), and spices. To cater to vegetarians, the meat or seafood can be substituted with vegetables or paneer. Sometimes eggs or potatoes are also added.
Biryani is one of the most popular dishes among the South Asian diaspora, although the dish is often associated with the region's Muslim population in particular. Similar dishes are also prepared in Iran, Iraq, Myanmar, Thailand, and Malaysia. Biryani is the single most-ordered dish on Indian online food ordering and delivery services, and has been labelled as the most popular dish overall in India.
One theory states that it originated from birinj (Persian: برنج), the Persian word for rice. Another theory states that it was derived from biryan or beriyan (Persian: بریان), which means "to fry" or "to roast". It may alternatively be related to the Persian word bereshtan (Persian: برشتن) which also means "to roast (onions)", as the dish is often prepared by flavouring rice with fried onions and meat, besides mild spices.
The exact origin of the dish is uncertain, however, it has been suggested that it originated in Persia. In North India, different varieties of biryani developed.
According to the historian Lizzie Collingham, the modern biryani developed in the royal kitchens of the Mughal Empire (1526–1857) and is a mix of the native spicy rice dishes of South Asia and the Persian polao. Indian restaurateur Kris Dhillon believes that the dish originated in Persia and was brought to South Asia by the Mughals. Salma Hossein, whom the BBC has dubbed the "doyenne of Islamic cooking in India," shares a similar view, asserting that biryani came to South Asia from Persia even before the Mughal era. Food scholar Pushpesh Pant also challenges the Mughal-origin claim, stating that it originated in Iran and that "there is no evidence that biryani first came to this land with the Mughals. It is far more probable that it travelled with pilgrims and soldier-statesmen of noble descent to the Deccan region in South India".
Another theory claims that the dish was prepared in South Asia before the first Mughal emperor Babur conquered India. The 16th-century Mughal text Ain-i-Akbari makes no distinction between biryanis and pilaf (or pulao): it states that the word "biryani" is of older usage in India. A similar theory, that biryani came to India with Timur's invasion, appears to be incorrect because there is no record of biryani having existed in his native land during that period.
According to Pratibha Karan, who wrote the book Biryani, biryani is of Mughal origin, derived from pilaf varieties brought to the South Asian subcontinent by Arab and Persian traders. She speculates that the pulao was an army dish in medieval India. Armies would prepare a one-pot dish of rice with any available red meat. Over time, the dish became biryani due to different methods of cooking, with the distinction between "pulao" and "biryani" being arbitrary.
According to Vishwanath Shenoy, the owner of a biryani restaurant chain in India, one branch of biryani comes from the Mughals, while another was brought by the Arab traders to Malabar in South India.
There are various apocryphal stories dating the invention to Shah Jahan's time but Rana Safvi, the distinguished historian, says she could only find a recipe from the later Mughal period, from Bahadur Shah Zafar's time. It is not her claim that there was no biryani before that; just that she has not found a recipe. Other historians who have gone through texts say that the first references to biryani only appear around the 18th century.
Some claim that the dish "oonchoru" as mentioned in Sangam literature, which dates from between 200 BCE and 200 CE, is a predecessor of modern biryani. This dish, which was served to the soldiers of the Chera kings in Kerala, was said to be made of rice, ghee, meat, turmeric, coriander, pepper, and bay leaf.
The spices used in the preparation of Southern Indian biryanis, such as those used in the Malabar variety, are distinctive to the region and the Western Ghats. These spices are not found in the Middle East, Persia, or North India, underscoring the unique culinary heritage and local ingredients of Southern Indian biryani.
In Southern India, where rice is more widely used as a staple food, several distinct varieties of biryani emerged from Hyderabad in Telangana, Vijayawada in Andhra Pradesh, Mangalore and Bhatkal in Coastal Karnataka, Thalassery in Kerala, as well as Ambur and Chettinad in Tamil Nadu.
Pilaf or pulao, as it is known on the Indian subcontinent, is another mixed rice dish popular in the cuisines of the Indian subcontinent, Central Asia, and Middle Eastern cuisine. Opinions differ on the differences between pulao and biryani, and whether there is actually a difference between the two.
According to Delhi-based historian Sohail Hashmi, pulao tends to be plainer than biryani, and consists of meat or vegetables cooked with rice with the bottom layered with potatoes or onions. Biryani contains more gravy (or yakhni), and is often cooked longer, leaving the meat (and vegetables, if present) more tender, and the rice more flavoured. Biryani is also cooked with additional dressings and often would have a light layer of scorched rice at the bottom.
Author Pratibha Karan states that while the terms are often applied arbitrarily, the main distinction is that a biryani consists of two layers of rice with a layer of meat (and vegetables, if present) in the middle, while the pulao is not layered.
Author Colleen Taylor Sen lists the following distinctions between biryani and pulao:
Ingredients for biryani are extensive and vary according to the region and the type of meat and vegetables used. Meat (chicken, goat, beef, lamb, prawn or fish) is the prime ingredient with rice. As is common in dishes of South Asia, vegetables are sometimes also used when preparing biryani. Corn may be used, depending on the season and availability. Navratan biryani tends to use sweeter, richer ingredients such as cashews, sultanas (kishmish), and fruits such as apples and pineapples.
The spices and condiments used in biryani may include fennel seeds, ghee (clarified butter), nutmeg, mace, pepper, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves, coriander, mint, ginger, onions, tomatoes, green chilies, star anise, and garlic. The premium varieties include saffron. Some commercial recipes for biryani also include aromatic essences such as Mitha attar, kewra and rose water. Dried sour prunes (alu bukhara) may also be added to the biryani. In nasi briyani and other variants made in Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia, typical Southeast Asian spices and aromatics such as pandan leaf may be used alongside typical South Asian spices.
The main ingredient that usually accompanies the spices is chicken, lamb or goat meat; special varieties might use beef or seafood instead. The dish may be served with dahi chutney or raita, with the sole purpose of them being to soothe the biryani and lower the heat from the spices in the biryani. Other sides include seekh kebab, Qorma, curry, a sour dish of aubergine (brinjal), boiled eggs, and salad.
Biryani can be cooked using one of two styles/techniques, pakki ("cooked") and kacchi ("raw").
There are many types of biryani, whose names are often based on their region of origin. For example, Sindhi biryani developed in the Sindh region of what is now Pakistan, and Hyderabadi biryani developed in the city of Hyderabad in South India.
Some have taken the name of the shop that sells it, for example: Haji Biriyani, Haji Nanna Biriyani in Old Dhaka, Fakhruddin Biriyani in Dhaka, Students biryani in Karachi, Lucky biryani in Bandra, Mumbai and Baghdadi biryani in Colaba, Mumbai. Biryanis are often specific to the Muslim communities where they originate; they are usually the defining dishes of those communities.
Ambur/Vaniyambadi biryani is a variety cooked in the neighboring towns of Ambur and Vaniyambadi in the Tirupattur district of the northeastern part of Tamil Nadu, which houses a high Muslim population. It was introduced during the time of the Nawabs of Arcot who once ruled the area. It is typically made with jeera samba rice. Nowadays, it is popular as both Ambur or Vaniyambadi style biryani as those are two prominent towns along the popular Bangalore to Chennai highway, where travellers are known to stop for eating.
The Ambur/Vaniyambadi biryani is often accompanied by dhalcha, a sour brinjal curry, and pachadi or raitha (sliced onions mixed with plain yogurt, tomato, chilies, and salt). It is known to have a distinctive aroma and is considered light on the stomach. The usage of spice is moderate, and curd is used as a gravy base. It also utilizes a higher ratio of meat to rice. Ambur-style biryani is popular as a street food all across South India.
This is an integral part of the Navayath cuisine and a specialty of Bhatkal, a coastal town in Karnataka. Its origins are traced to the Persian traders who introduced biryani along with kababs and Indian breads. In Bhatkali biryani, the meat is cooked in an onion and green chili-based masala and layered with fragrant rice. It has a unique spicy and heady flavour, and the rice is overwhelmingly white with mild streaks of orange. Its variations include beef, goat, chicken, titar (partridge), egg, fish, crab, prawn, and vegetable biryani.
Though similar to those in Thalassery, this biryani differs with lingering after-notes of mashed onions laced with garlic. A few chilies and spices littered with curry leaves lends a unique flavour to Bhatkali biryani. No oil is used.
Another variety common among the Navayath mainly involves rice vermicelli being used as a substitute for rice, therefore lending this biryani the name shayya or shayyo as a result of its use. Like many other recipes, the meat, typically chicken, is first cooked with spices and yoghurt, with the vermicelli and fried onions being added later.
This biryani, traditionally made by the Bohri community, is one with a rich history. The Bohris, originally from Yemen, migrated mainly to Gujarat and other parts of India between the 11th and 13th centuries. As a result, the dish incorporates both Yemeni and Gujarati influences. The recipe is typically standard and can vary; although its signature ingredients include crispy potatoes along with even more tomatoes and onions. It is seemingly also a dish in Pakistan.
Chettinad biryani is famous in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is mostly made using jeera samba rice, and is known to have a distinct aroma of spices and ghee.This biryani is usually paired with nenju elumbu kuzhambu, a spicy and tangy goat meat gravy . The podi kozhi is usually topped with fried onions and curry leaves.
Degh ki Biryani is a traditional biryani dish made with small cubes of beef or mutton. This biryani is believed to have originated in the Ahmadnagar Sultanate and is particularly famous in Parbhani, a city in the Marathwada region of Maharashtra. It is commonly served at weddings.
The meat is marinated with a blend of spices, including ginger, garlic, red chili powder, cumin, garam masala, fried onions, and curd, enhancing its rich flavor. This biryani is also referred to as Kachay Gosht ki Biryani or Dum Biryani, as the marinated meat is slow-cooked with fragrant, short-grained rice under dum (sealed, slow-cooking method) to enhance its aroma and taste.The dish is cooked on a low flame using the dum method, allowing the flavors to infuse deeply, resulting in a rich, aromatic biryani.
The Delhi version of biryani developed a unique local flavour as the Mughal kings shifted their political capital to the North Indian city of Delhi. Until the 1950s, most people cooked biryani in their home and rarely ate at eateries outside of their homes. Hence, restaurants primarily catered to travellers and merchants. Any region that saw more of these two classes of people nurtured more restaurants, and thus their own versions of biryani. This is the reason why most shops that sold biryani in Delhi, tended to be near mosques such as Jama Masjid (for travellers) or traditional shopping districts (such as Chandni Chowk).
Each part of Delhi has its own style of biryani, often based on its original purpose, thus giving rise to Nizamuddin biryani, Shahjahanabad biryani, etc. Nizamuddin biryani usually had little expensive meat and spices as it was primarily meant to be made in bulk for offering at the Nizamuddin Dargah shrine and thereafter to be distributed to devotees. A non-dum biryani, using many green chillies, popularized by the Babu Shahi Bawarchi shops located outside the National Sports Club in Delhi is informally called Babu Shahi biryani. Another version of Delhi biryani uses achaar (pickles) and is called achaari biryani.
The city of Dhaka in Bangladesh used to be the capital of Bengal Subah and is known for Dhakaiya Kacchi Biryani, a Chevon Biryani made with highly seasoned rice and goat meat. The recipe includes: highly seasoned rice, goat meat, mustard oil, garlic, onion, black pepper, saffron, clove, cardamom, cinnamon, salt, lemon, doi, peanuts, cream, raisins and a small amount of cheese (either from cows or buffalo). It is accompanied by borhani, a salted mint drink made of yogurt, coriander, mint and salt.
Haji biryani is a favourite among Bangladeshis living abroad. A recipe was handed down by the founder of one Dhaka restaurant to the next generation. Haji Mohammad Shahed claimed, "I have never changed anything, not even the amount of salt". Bengali style biryani often includes potatoes.
The city of Dindigul in Tamil Nadu is noted for its biryani, which uses a little curd and lemon juice for a tangy taste.
According to some historians, this biryani is believed to have originated many centuries back, although the origins are numerous and disputed. One historical account states that back in 1638, Shahaji Bhosale of the Maratha Empire achieved his conquest of Bangalore in Karnataka, and his descendants set up and ran these new establishments called "military hotels".
Today, the military hotels of Bangalore are well known for selling biryani served in dried leaf bowls called donne, in Kannada. Just like many other biryani varieties in South India, it uses the standard short grain seeraga samba rice. Along with yogurt and spices, it contains a gravy that is mainly composed of mint, coriander leaves and green chillies, that gives the biryani its signature green colour. To impart a specific taste, the recipe for this biryani usually includes either kapok buds (known as Marathi Moggu) or stone flowers as additional spices. The choice of meat can be either chicken or mutton.
Hyderabadi biryani is India's most famous biryani; some say biryani is synonymous with Hyderabad. Hyderabadi biryani developed in Hyderabad Subah under the rule of Asaf Jah I, who was first appointed as the governor of Deccan by the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. It is made with basmati rice, spices and goat meat. Popular variations use chicken instead of goat meat. There are various forms of Hyderabadi biryani, such as kachay gosht ki biryani or dum biryani, where goat meat is marinated and cooked along with the rice. It is left on a slow fire or dum for a fragrant and aromatic flavour.
Memoni or Kutchi biryani is an extremely spicy variety developed by the Memons of Gujarat-Sindh region in India and Pakistan. It is made with mutton, dahi, fried onions, and potatoes, and fewer tomatoes compared to Sindhi biryani.
Kalyani biryani is a beef biryani from the former state of Hyderabad Deccan. Also known as the "poor man's" Hyderabadi biryani, Kalyani biryani is made from small cubes of buffalo meat or cow meat.
The meat is flavoured with ginger, garlic, turmeric, red chili, cumin, coriander powder, and lots of onion and tomato. It is first cooked in a thick curry and then cooked along with rice. It is then cooked on dum (the Indian method of steaming in a covered pot). It has a distinct flavour of tomatoes, jeera and dhania.
Kalyani biryani is supposed to have originated in Bidar during the reign of the Kalyani Nawabs, who migrated to Hyderabad in mid 18th century after one of the Nawabs, Ghazanfur Jang married into the Asaf Jahi family uniting their realms. Kalyani biryani was served by the Kalyani Nawabs to all of their subjects who came from Bidar to Hyderabad and stayed or visited their devdi or noble mansion.
This variant of biryani is well-known to the state of Kerala, and gets its name from the method by which it is prepared. The recipe is considerably different from many others due to its preparation and assemblage. The meat can typically be chicken, fish or chemmeen (prawns), depending on the region. Unlike the other methods, the meat is marinated in spices and lemon juice and cooked separately; with the same applying for the rice and gravy. Coconut milk is somewhat used as a signature ingredient to enrich the texture.
The easily distinguishable aspect of this biryani is in its serving. A banana leaf is cut in half and tempered, and the meat, rice and gravy are all placed together in a particular fashion on its surface, involving some herbs and birista (fried onions). Additional accompaniments may include eggs and coconut chutney. After assembly, the biryani is wrapped within the leaf and steamed. Due to the manner in which it is cooked and served, this is most likely ideal to be consumed by only one person.
Calcutta or Kolkata biryani evolved from Dhakaiya biryani and the Lucknow style biryani when Awadh's last Nawab, Wajid Ali Shah, was exiled in 1856 to the Kolkata suburb of Metiabruz. Shah brought his personal chef with him. Like Dhakaiya biryani, the Kolkata biryani is characterized by the presence of potatoes in it.
Lucknow was a capital of Awadh Subah. For Lucknow/ awadhi biryani, basmati rice is cooked in ghee with warm, aromatic spices and then layered with a type of meat curry or marinade, sealed, and cooked over low heat until done.
Beary Biryani is a specialty of the Beary Muslim community in coastal Karnataka and is also referred to as Mangalorean-style Biryani.This biryani is distinct for its use of green chilies and coconut, giving it a rich, mildly spicy flavor with subtle hints of fennel.The spice blend typically includes nutmeg, mace (javitri), fennel seeds, poppy seeds, star anise, almonds, and fresh mint leaves, contributing to its unique aroma and flavor.The rice and meat (mutton, chicken, or beef) are first cooked separately, then layered and slow-cooked together in the dum style, allowing the flavors to blend harmoniously.This biryani is popularly served at weddings and family gatherings, making it an integral part of Beary Muslim culinary traditions.
This viral style of biryani traces its origins to "The Spicy Venue" restaurant in Hyderabad. The recipe is quite unique and easily distinguishable from every other biryani by appearance. It is composed of a mutton keema and prawn biryani wrapped inside an omurice-style seasoned omelette.
This type of biryani is popular in the Palakkad and Coimbatore regions. This was most commonly prepared by Rowther families in Kerala and Tamil Nadu. This type of biryani is cooked in a different style. Goat meat is most commonly used and it is entirely different from Malabar biryani.
The exotic and aromatic Sindhi biryani, originating in the former Mughal subah based in Thatta is known in Pakistan for its spicy taste, fragrant rice, and delicate meat. Sindhi biryani is a beloved staple in food menus of Pakistani and Sindhi cuisine. This biryani is prepared with meat and a mixture of basmati rice, vegetables, and various spices.
Also known as safeeda biryani, this variant of biryani is another with Hyderabadi origins. It was said to have been created for a Nizam who was very fond of biryani but was unable to digest spices. Today, the recipe mainly involves khoya and almond paste as a base along with meat and many other ingredients, albeit with no trace of red chillies or chilli powder, which alludes to the so-called "white" look of this dish. Green chillies may be used as an alternative.
Biryani was introduced in the 1900s to Sri Lanka by the Indian Muslims who engaged in trade within the country. In many cases, Sri Lankan biryani is spicier than most Indian varieties. Side dishes may include Malay pickle, Cashew curry and Mint sambol.
Thalassery biryani is the variation of biryani found in the Indian state of Kerala. It is one of the many dishes of the Kerala Muslim community, and very popular.
The ingredients are chicken with spices and the unique ingredient being the choice of rice, called khyma. Khyma rice is generally mixed with ghee. Although a large number of spices such as mace, cashew nuts, sultana raisins, fennel-cumin seeds, tomatoes, onions, ginger, garlic, shallots, cloves and cinnamon are used, there is only a small amount of chilli (or chili powder) used in its preparation.
As a pakki type of biryani, the Thalassery biryani uses a small-grained thin (not round) fragrant variety of rice known as khyma or jeerakasala. The dum method of preparation (sealing the lid with dough [maida] or cloth and placing red-hot charcoal above the lid) is applied here to avoid scorched rice.
In Kerala, another variety called beef biryani is well known.
In Myanmar (Burma), biryani is known in Burmese as danpauk or danbauk (ဒံပေါက်), derived from the Persian term dum pukht, which refers to a slow oven cooking technique. Danbauk is a mainstay at festive events such as Thingyan, weddings and donation feasts. Given danbauk's South Asian origins, danbauk restaurants and chains have traditionally been owned by Muslims, but in recent decades Buddhist entrepreneurs have entered the market.
Featured ingredients include: cashew nuts, yogurt, raisins and peas, chicken, cloves, cinnamon, saffron and bay leaf cooked in long-grain rice. In danbauk, chicken specially seasoned with a danbauk masala spice mix, is cooked with the rice. Danbauk is typically eaten with a number of side dishes, including a fresh salad of sliced onions, julienned cabbage, sliced cucumbers, fermented limes and lemons, fried dried chilies, and soup. In recent decades, danbauk restaurants have innovated variations, including "ambrosia" biryani (နတ်သုဓာထမင်း), which features dried fruits and buttered rice.
In Iraq and in the states of the Persian Gulf, biryani (برياني: "biryani") is usually saffron-based with chicken usually being the meat or poultry of choice. It is popular throughout Iraq, especially in the Kurdistan Region. Most variations also include vermicelli, fried onions, fried potato cubes, almonds, and raisins spread liberally over the rice. Sometimes, a sour/spicy tomato sauce is served on the side (maraq).
In Iran, during the Safavid dynasty (1501–1736), a dish called Beriyan Polo (Nastaliq script: بریان پلو) was made with lamb or chicken, marinated overnight—with yogurt, herbs, spices, dried fruits like raisins, prunes or pomegranate seeds—and later cooked in a tannour oven, then served with steamed rice.
A different dish called biryan is popular in Afghanistan. Biryan traces its origins to the same source as biryani, when most of Afghanistan was part of Kabul and Qandahar Subahs and as today sold in Afghanistan as well as in Bhopal, India. Biryan is prepared by cooking gosht and rice together, but without the additional gravy (yakhni) and other condiments that are used in biryani. The Delhi-based historian Sohail Hashmi refers to the biryan as midway between pulao and biryani. Afghan biryani tends to use much dry fruit such as raisins and lesser amounts of meat, often cut into tiny pieces.
Nasi kebuli is an Indonesian spicy steamed rice dish cooked in goat meat broth, milk and ghee. Nasi kebuli is descended from kabuli palaw which is an Afghan rice dish, similar to biryani served in the Indian subcontinent.
Although Indonesia has authentic nasi kebuli, Indonesia also inherited and has local-style of biryani which is known as nasi biryani or nasi briyani. Nasi biryani is popular among and often associated as Acehnese, Arab Indonesian, Indian Indonesian and Malay cuisine.
The Malaysian and Singaporean variety of biryani is called nasi briyani or nasi biryani. Although authentic styles of biryani from South India are popular, nasi briyani remains the most popular. The key differences between nasi briyani and Indian biryanis are that the meat in nasi briyani is cooked separately from the rice, and there is more curry, sauce, or gravy present in the nasi briyani than in Indian biryanis.
Nasi briyani dishes are very popular in Malaysia and Singapore. As an important part of Malaysian and Singaporean Indian cuisines, they are popularized through mamak stalls, hawker centres, and food courts as well as fine dining restaurants.
There are also eateries that sell pork as the main meat of the dish in Singapore.
Biryani dishes are very popular in Mauritius, especially at Muslim weddings and festivities. It is also widely available at street food places. Mauritian biryanis are often accompanied by an achaar (mango pickles), chilies and salads.
Kapampangan cuisine of the Philippines (often in Pampanga) features a special dish called nasing biringyi (chicken saffron rice), resembling the Malaysian nasi briyani in both name and form, that is typically prepared only during special occasions such as weddings, family get-togethers or fiestas. It is not a staple of the Filipino diet as it is difficult to prepare compared to other usual dishes. A version that has merged with the Filipino version of the Spanish paella is known as bringhe.
South Asian and Middle Eastern-styled biryani underwent a surge in popularity in Manila in the 2020s, with both high-end restaurants and working-class eateries serving the dish, popularized by both Indian Filipinos and other South Asians as well as returning Overseas Filipino Workers from the Middle East. Some restaurants adjust recipes to suit Filipino palates.
In the Cape Malay culture, a variation of biryani incorporates lentils as a key ingredient in the dish along with meat (usually beef, chicken, seafood or vegetables). The dish is made by cooking the rice and legumes and meat and gravy separately, then mixing it. Uncommonly, it is made using the dum-cooking method. The spices are similar to those used in the original Indian biryani.
Variants of biryani exist in the cuisines of Somalia, Kenya, and Tanzania due to centuries of trade between the East African coast and South Asia for centuries, and the more recent migration of Indians to the latter two countries more recently during the British colonial era.
Zanzibar has its own form of biryani characterized by the mixture of East African and Indian spices, as well as influences from Arab cuisine. The meat used is most commonly chicken. This variant is similar to the forms of biryani served in Kenya.
In Somalia, the descendant of biryani is bariis iskukaris. It is served with chicken, goat, beef, lamb, or camel meat, and spiced with the Somali spice mixture xawaash and other spices. A unique characteristic of bariis and other Somali dishes is the addition of banana on the side to be mixed with the dish.
Biryani in Thailand is commonly known as khao mhok (Thai: ข้าวหมก). It is commonly paired with chicken, beef or even fish and topped with fried garlic. The dish is common in Thai cuisine and is often served with a green sour sauce.