The main differences between the two are the cooking technique, time consumption and the list of ingredients used. 1. Pulao is cooked in one pot using the absorption method - rice, vegetables and spices are sauteed and cooked together and the liquid is completely absorbed while cooking. So it is essential to have the correct rice to liquid (water/stock/coconut milk) ratio. Incorrect ratio results in either uncooked rice or overcooked! Biryani is cooked using a draining method - rice is parboiled in one pot and vegetables are cooked along with spices and yogurt separately in a second pot. Later both parboiled rice and cooked vegetables are arranged in layers and cooked on a slow flame until done. 2. Veg pulao takes less time to prepare than the biryani. Pulao is a very easy and straightforward process whereas the biryani is a complicated process and beginners might feel it daunting. 3. The spices used in biryani are significantly higher than the pulao rice.