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Hyderabadi biryani makes TasteAtlas' global top 10: A step-by-step guide to mastering the classic at home
World-best, for a reason!
Taste Atlas recently came out with its delish list of the top 50 best rice dishes in the world. While Japan's Negitorodon took first rank, India's Hyderabadi biryani landed a smooth spot 10, being the only desi dish to make its mark on the list.
Let Chef Ranveer Brar's supremely-detailed recipe guide you through each step of mastering the classic.
Hyderabadi chicken dum biryani
Ingredients: For birista — sliced onions - 3, oil for frying; for chicken marination — fried onions - 1/3 cup, beaten curd - 1 cup, finely chopped tender coriander stem - 1/2tbsp, few mint leaves (roughly torn), green chillies - 2 (broken into half), ginger garlic paste - 1.tbsp, fried onion oil (from the birista) - 2 to 3tbsps + 1tbsp, salt to taste, coriander powder - 1tsp, Degi red chilli powder - 1/2tsp, turmeric powder - 1/4tsp, chicken thighs and drumsticks - 700gms; for cooking rice — water as required, salt to taste, ghee - 1tsp, bay leaf - 1, Basmati rice - 3 cups (soake for 20 minutes); for jhol — milk - 1/3 cup, saffron water - 1.5tsp, shahi jeera - a pinch, roughly torn mint leaves, roughly torn coriander leaves - at least 2tbsps, salt to taste, sugar - 1/2tsp; for garnish — coriander sprig, mint sprig
Method: For the fried onions, in a shallow pan or kadai, add oil, once it’s hot, add onions in small batches and fry until golden brown in colour. Transfer it into a bowl and keep it aside for further use.
For the marination, in the same fried onion bowl, add curd, tender coriander stems, mint leaves, green chili, ginger garlic paste, fried onion oil and mix it well. Add salt to taste, coriander powder, Degi red chili powder, turmeric powder and mix everything well.
Pour the prepared mixture into chicken and coat it well, add fried onion oil and mix.
For cooking the rice, in a handi or sauce pot, add water once it’s roaring boiled, add salt to taste, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, ghee and soaked Basmati rice. Cover it with the lid and allow to cook for at least 4 to 5 minutes on high flame. Strain the 60% cooked rice and transfer it into a tray for resting. Strain the remaining rice and transfer it into another tray and allow it to rest. Keep it aside for further use.
For the layering, in a separate handi or sauce pot, add marinated chicken, add 1st batch of cooked rice and layer it. Add prepared jhol, saffron water and fried onion. Add the second batch of cooked rice and layer it nicely. Add prepared jhol, saffron water, ghee and fried onion. Heat the tawa and place the handi on the tawa. Cover it with the lid and allow to cook for 2 to 3 minutes on high flame. Reduce the flame and cook it for 15 to 20 minutes. Once the chicken and rice gets cooked well, turn off the flame and keep it aside for resting for 10 to 12 minutes. Garnish with the the mint and coriander sprigs and serve hot.
(recipe from Chef Ranveer Brar)
The labour of love that's going to be worth every last morsel!
