Hyderabadi Biryani Recipe
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Hyderabadi Biryani Recipe

Ingredients:

For Marinating the Meat:

  • 500 grams chicken or mutton, cut into pieces
  • 1 cup plain yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste
  • 1 teaspoon red chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
  • Salt to taste

For Cooking the Rice:

  • 2 cups basmati rice, soaked for 30 minutes
  • 4-5 cups water
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2-3 green cardamom pods
  • 2-3 cloves
  • Salt to taste

For Biryani Masala:

  • 2 onions, thinly sliced
  • 2 tomatoes, chopped
  • 2 green chilies, slit lengthwise
  • 1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves, chopped
  • 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
  • 1/4 cup fried onions (optional)
  • 1/4 cup ghee or oil

For Layering and Garnishing:

  • Saffron strands soaked in warm milk
  • Fried onions
  • Chopped coriander leaves
  • Chopped mint leaves
  • 2 tablespoons ghee

Instructions:

1. Marinating the Meat:

  1. In a large bowl, combine the meat pieces with yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, and salt.
  2. Mix well to coat the meat evenly with the marinade.
  3. Cover the bowl and marinate the meat for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator, preferably overnight, to allow the flavors to penetrate.

2. Cooking the Rice:

  1. In a large pot, bring water to a boil.
  2. Add soaked basmati rice, bay leaf, green cardamom pods, cloves, and salt.
  3. Cook the rice until it is 70-80% done. It should still have a slight bite to it.
  4. Drain the cooked rice and set aside.

3. Preparing the Biryani Masala:

  1. In a separate pan, heat ghee or oil over medium heat.
  2. Add sliced onions and sauté until golden brown.
  3. Add chopped tomatoes and green chilies. Cook until the tomatoes are soft and mushy.
  4. Add marinated meat along with the marinade. Cook until the meat is partially cooked and the masala is fragrant.
  5. Stir in chopped coriander leaves and mint leaves. Remove from heat.

4. Assembling the Biryani:

  1. In a large heavy-bottomed pot or biryani pot, spread a layer of cooked rice evenly at the bottom.
  2. Top the rice with a layer of the cooked meat masala.
  3. Sprinkle fried onions (if using) and chopped coriander leaves and mint leaves over the meat layer.
  4. Repeat the layers until all the rice and meat masala are used up, ending with a layer of rice on top.
  5. Drizzle saffron milk over the rice and sprinkle fried onions, chopped coriander leaves, and mint leaves on top.
  6. Dot the biryani with ghee.
  7. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid or seal with aluminum foil to trap the steam.
  8. Cook the biryani on low heat (dum) for 20-25 minutes, until the rice is fully cooked and the meat is tender.
  9. Once done, gently fluff up the biryani with a fork.
  10. Serve hot Hyderabadi Biryani with raita (yogurt dip) or salan (spicy gravy) on the side.

Enjoy the fragrant and flavorful Hyderabadi Biryani, a classic South Indian delicacy!