Hyderabadi Biryani is one of the most popular biryani dishes which has its origin in the Nizam’s Stae of Hyderabad in India. When I first tasted this dish about 4-5 years ago, it was just enchanting. I tasted the best Hyderabadi Biryani prepared by the world’s best Hyderabadi Biryani chef. 
It just melted away in my mouth what with the fresh aroma of the spices and the ghee. It couldny get better that that. Right now, I am preparing this famous biryani in my kitchen and am writing the blog while the biryani is being cooked. God!! I am just not able to resist the mystic smell of the spices touching my nose!! I want to gorge onto it as soon as its brought down from the stove!!
Meanwhile, let me give you a little more information on this dish and after that, the ingredients and the preparation method.
There are basically two styles of preparing the Hyderabadi biryani… The kacchi Biryani is prepared with the Kacchi Akhni method (that is, with the raw meat) and it is usually accompanied with Raita (a yogurt dish) and in the Pakki biryani, the meat and the rice is cooked in a dough sealed vessel.
Now, lets start with the dish… Make a quick note of the ingredients and the preparation method…
Hyderabadi Biryani Ingredients:
- Chicken : 1 whole
- Basmati rice : 1 kg
- Onions : 1 cup (thinly sliced)
- Coconut milk : 1 cup
- Ginger and garlic paste : 2 tea spoon
- Chilli powder : 3 tea spoon
- Turmeric : 1/2 tea spoon
- Cashew nuts : 100 g
- Bay leaves : 4 to 5
- Cloves : 5 to 6
- Cinnamon sticks : 1 inch long
- Cardamom pods : 3 to 4
- Mint leaves : 5-6 strands
- Coriander leaves : 4-5 strands
- Garam masala powder : 1/2 tea spoon
- Lemon : 1
- Ghee (clarified butter) : 1 cup
- Oil : 4 table spoons
- Yogurt : 1/2 cup
- Saffron : 6-8 strands
- Salt to taste
Preparation Method :
- Mix turmeric, chilli powder, salt, garlic paste, yogurt and 1 table spoon of lemon juice.
- Next, make deep incisions on the chicken pieces such that the spices are absorbed well.
- Apply the above prepared paste onto the chicken pieces and let it marinate for an hour.
- Heat 4 table spoons of oil in a vessel. Roast cloves, cumin, cinnamon, cardamom, 1/2 spoon cumin, 1 spoon coriander powder,bay leaves and 1/2 cup onions.
- Roast it for 1-2 minutes and then add some mint leaves.
- When the onions turn golden brown, add the marinated chicken pieces and cook for about 30-35 minutes.
- Note that the chicken should not be fully cooked at this stage.
- Now add garam masala powder and coconut and turn off the flame once the chicken is about 3/4th cooked.
- See to it that the gravy should not be much and also, the chicken pieces should look as if they have been roasted.
- Meanwhile, when the chicken is still cooking, prepare the biryani rice.
- Wash 3 cups of basmati rice and add water slightly less than the quantity of the rice itself so that it is only half cooked.
- Add 1-2 tea spoons of salt to it.
- Soak 3-4 strands of saffron in 4-5 table spoons of milk.
- Now take 1/2 table spoon of this half cooked rice and dip it into the saffro flavoured milk.
- Take a utencil having a base of 12″ and place half of the semi-cooked rice in it.
- Prepare a layer of half of the above prepared chicken on top of this rice layer and again, top the chicken layer with rice (half of the remaining).
- Again, another layer of remaining chicken and finally with the layer of the remaining rice on the top, ends the rice-chicken layering process.
- Heat 2-3 table spoons of oil and deep fry 1/2 cup onions until they turn golden brown. Next, roast the cashews.
- Garnish the top layer of rice with the fried onions, cashews, coconut milk, ghee, coriander and the saffron flavoured rice.
- Cover the vessel with a lid and place it on a high flame for about 5 minutes. Note that the flame should not concentrate at the vessel’s center, but on one side of it.
- Wait for 2-3 minutes and rotate the vessel to heat the opposite side. This way, keep rotating the vessel every 2-3 minutes for about 20-25 minutes. Every time you rotate it, carefully disturb the contents by a small jerk so as to avoid settling of ghee at the bottom.
- Turn off the flame and keep it aside for 10 minutes before taking off the lid.
- Before serving, mix thoroughly, the medley from the bottom.
- Serve with boiled egg halves to enjoy the dish fully.
Additional Information on Gobi Manchurian Recipe:
Serving: Serves 3
Preparation Time: 60-80 minutes
Difficulty Level: Difficult
Calories: 1255
I hope that you will have a great time cooking and sharing this dish with your family and friends. Do leave your comments and share your views.
{ 46 comments… read them below or add one }
The Hyderabadi Chicken Biriyani looks fabulous . Excellent presentation!!!.Can u post the vegetarian edition of Hyderabadi Biriyani and also an authentic version of Mysore Masala dosai served in leading restaraunts in Bangalore.These dosas are fluffy ,full bodied with a crispy golden skin texture and are totally different from masala dosa available
Regards
Baskaran
Sure, I will definitely post the vegetarian version of the Hyderabadi Biryani shortly. And to prepare Masala dosa as available in restaurants, just ferment it a little longer and add another spoon of urad daal.
Nice recipe!! Love the way you explained each step in detail. Like your step 20 and 21, these are the finer points even the best cook books skip.
Thank you
I’ve never seen a more stunning photo of anything having to do with biryani . The photo looks so rich that I cannot imagine how good this will taste. Yummy.
Thanks Aishwarya for posting this great recipe. Could I ask you for some clarifications. In steps 8 and 19, you have mentioned about adding coconut. But the ingredient list shows just 1 cup of cocunut milk. Could you please mention the exact quantities of coconut(or coconut milk) for the curry as well as the rice.
Also the ingredient list says 1 kg of rice, which is around 6 cups of rice. But the preparation is for 3 cups of rice. So the quantities mentioned in ingredients for garnishing the top layer of rice(onions, cashews, coconut milk, ghee, coriander and saffron)…is it for 1 kg of rice or 3 cups of rice ?
This is the most detailed Hyderabadi Biryani receipe i have ever read… I will surely try this..
I tried your Hyderabadi Briyani today, it came out really well……Thanks a lot for your recipe.
I have tried the reciept,,, it needed some improvement….
here is the more refined version of it for Indians (who like spice food)
Hyderabadi Biryani Ingredients:
* Mutton (Goat meat) in cubes: 1 kg ( or 2.5lbs) [fresh not frozen]
* Basmati rice : 2.5 cups
* Onions : 3/4 cup (thinly sliced) [use RED Onion]
* Fried onions: 2 table spoons (you can get it from any Market store)
* Coconut milk : 1 cup
* Ginger and garlic paste : 2 tea spoon
* Green Chilli paste: 1 tea spoon (or 2 if you need it hot)
* Chilli powder : 3 tea spoon
* Turmeric : 1/2 tea spoon
* Cashew nuts : 100 g
* Raisins: 7-10 count
* Bay leaves : 4 to 5
* Cloves : 5 to 6
* Cinnamon sticks : 2x 1 inch long
* Cardamom pods : 3 to 4
* Mint leaves : 5-6 strands
* Coriander leaves : 4-5 strands
* Garam masala powder : 1/2 tea spoon
* Lemon : 1
* Ghee (clarified butter) : 1/2 cup
* Oil : 2 table spoons
* Yogurt : 1/2 cup
* Saffron : 6-8 strands
* Shahi Zeera: 1/2 tea spoon
* Salt to taste
Preparation Method :
1. Mix turmeric, chilli powder, salt (I used 3 tea spoons), garlic paste, green chilli paste, yogurt and 1 table spoon of lemon juice.
3. Apply the above prepared paste onto the mutton pieces and let it marinate for an 3 hours.
4. Heat 2 table spoons of oil in a vessel. Roast cloves, cumin powder, cinnamon, cardamom, 1 spoon coriander powder,bay leaves and 3/4 cup onions.
5. Roast it for 1-2 minutes and then add some mint leaves.
6. When the onions turn golden brown, add the marinated goat pieces and cook for about 15 minutes & pressure cook for 3 whistles
7. Note that the goat should not be fully cooked at this stage.
8. Now add garam masala powder and 3/4 cup coconut milk and turn off the flame once the goat is about 3/4th cooked.
9. See to it that the gravy should not be much ( should be like a gravy paste, little thinner than bee honey)
10. Meanwhile, when the chicken is still cooking, prepare the biryani rice.
11. Wash 3 cups of basmati rice and add water equal to the quantity of the rice itself so that it is only half cooked.
12. Add 1-2 tea spoons of salt to it.( as per taste)
13. Soak 3-4 strands of saffron in 2 table spoons of milk.
14. Now take 1 table spoon of this half cooked rice and dip it into the saffro flavoured milk.
15. Take Aluminuim baking tray like this (http://media.photobucket.com/image/aluminuim%20baking%20trays/lwliam4/Blog/21Oct2008_7401.jpg) and place half of the semi-cooked rice in it.
16. Prepare a layer of half of the above prepared goat on top of this rice layer and again, top the chicken layer with rice (half of the remaining).
17. Again, another layer of remaining chicken and finally with the layer of the remaining rice on the top.
18. Heat 2-3 table spoons of oil and roast the cashews.
19. Garnish the top layer of rice with the fried onions, cashews, Raisins, coconut milk( left over), ghee(make sure to heat it first), fresh coriander leaves, Shahi Zeera and the saffron flavoured rice.
20. Cover the tray with Aluminuim foil( make sure no holes or vents, should be air tight) and place it oven for 1 hr at 325 F temp.
22. Turn off the over and keep it aside for 10 minutes before taking off the lid.
23. Before serving, mix thoroughly, the medley from the bottom.
24. Serve with boiled egg halves to enjoy the dish fully.
Please let me know how you like this version.
excellent, fabulous,
Hi.
Many thanks for the recipie, am I allowed to print the copy.
thanks.
Margaret
Looks good except – Coconut milk
traditionally in Hyderabad Coconut milk is not included in the Biryani – It gives you different flavor altogether – and Paki Biryani does not require any liquid on top because the aqni and rice is pre-cooked
very nice i felt like iam eating now itself while reading
I tried the original version and it came out extremely good. I can’t wait to try “I like DUM” version! Thank you Aishwarya and I like DUM!!!
I loved hydrabadi biryani reciepe & I want that reciepeso please sent me that as early as possible
wow i love hyderabadi biryani please keep on the good work.
if there is any way i will get you to come prepare it for me, i would have love it. guess there is no way. well i’ll try ma best to perfect my self.
very tasty items
Thanks for the recipe. Are you guys sure about using coconut milk in this recipe? With coconut milk it would become malayali biryani.
i love hyderabadi biryani thanks for d recepie
aishwarya.! thanks for the grt recipe. it was really mouth watering…..am goin to try my own..keep loading good and healthy recipes…
We tried this recepie with 3extra chillies pasted and also 1/2 cup extra onions for garnishing. The taste was extraordinary. Thanks for the recipie
this receipe is basically of lucknowi biryani because pakki biryani is made in lucknow only and not in hyderabad.In hyderabadi biryani raw meat is put in raw rice and then cooked
i will love to eat this kind of dish but it is hard to prepare..anyone there wants to help me how to cook this? i want to eat this as already cook & prepared in front of me..hahaha
simply super i will try
Soy peruana, y tengo mi novio de Hyderabad, con la que pronto voy a casarme. La madre de mi novio preparó en mi recibimiento un delicioso Beryani, de la que me quedé muy satisfecha, es muy deliciosa y riquísima. saludos .
can you give me recipe of hyderabadi biryaani in roman english???
that was fantastic exprence
Hi is it possible to do the dum or yr original version using the rice cooker ie instead of cooking in stove or oven…the rice cooker is used.
kamal ka hai
bhai
i tried to cook it bt the rice didnt came out to b good so i jst wanted to knw which rice should i use so that it becums good…..insha Allah will try next time
i like hyderabadi biryani……its awsome
Hi, can anybody please tell me which basmatio rice is the best to make briani?
Thanks in advance
Lali
wow………. it is very delicious… i have tasted ever…..
it is very good n not difficult i loved this one…..
hi,
biryani looking fabulous…….. i have one doubt when we will add coconut milk while preparing biryani….. defnitely i’ll try. your cooking process is means steps r very easy even though the people who dont know cooking will undestand .its looking greate
the taste of the hyderabadi biryani s fantastic also please cook tamilnadu biryani specially made from tamlnadu muslims
Aishwarya… Hi, Surely your sharing is not in vain. thank you very much.
hyderabad. biryani very very tastey
hyderabad is famous for hyderabadi biryani
Thanks for this sharing: Maza a gaya
i like it
very nice
excellent
I liked the way you have presented the tips for peparing birayani.
Hi
I am trying to find your link to your page so I can access the blog with other dishes. Hydrabdi Biriani is my all time favourite. I am not an Indian but I used to study in Bangalore and its been almost 20 yrs now and I still remember how the biriani tsted. I have tried the recipe from Vahrehvah its great but I will definately try yours coz it sure looks great , thank you so much for sharing!!!!