Basmati is the most preferred variety of rice for preparing a biryani. There are several varieties of Basmati available in the market. I generally prefer to get aged instead of newly harvested basmati rice as they are more flavorful and become fluffy when cooked. You can also use other rice varieties such as Jeera rice or Jasmine rice if Basmati is not available. Ofcourse, the size of these rice varieties when cooked are much smaller and are more starchy than Basmati. If using any rice other than Basmati, it is best to let them cool to room temperature after the partial cooking stage, and then add them to your biryani for final cooking.