Degchi
Hyderabadi Biryani
Serves 6 · Total 105 min · Prep 45 min · Cook 60 min
Photo: Garrett Ziegler from New York, United States / CC BY 4.0
Marinated chicken layered raw ('kacchi') with half-cooked basmati rice, saffron milk and fried onions, then sealed and slow-cooked on dum until the rice and meat finish together. A royal Deccan classic for celebrations.
Quick answer: 105 min in total · serves 6 · main ingredients: Chicken, Yogurt, Onion, Ginger · amounts in metric and US
Ingredients
- 1 kg 2.2 lb Chicken, bone-in, cut into pieces
- 300 g 1.2 cup Yogurt, for marinade
- 3 pc 3 pc Onion, thinly sliced and deep-fried
- 1.5 tbsp 1.5 tbsp Ginger, paste
- 1.5 tbsp 1.5 tbsp Garlic, paste
- 2 tbsp 2 tbsp Biryani masala
- 1 tbsp 1 tbsp Red chilli powder
- 0.5 cup 0.5 cup Mint, chopped
- 0.5 cup 0.5 cup Coriander, chopped
- 500 g 1.1 lb Rice, basmati, soaked 30 minutes
- 0.5 tsp 0.5 tsp Saffron, soaked in 3 tbsp warm milk
- 4 tbsp 4 tbsp Clarified butter
- 2 tsp 2 tsp Salt, to taste
- 4 pc 4 pc Cardamom (Optional)
- 1 pc 1 pc Cinnamon (Optional)
- 4 pc 4 pc Cloves (Optional)
Steps
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- Fry the sliced onions in hot oil for about 12 minutes, stirring, until deep golden and crisp at the edges; lift them out and spread on paper to crisp up as they cool. Crush half into the marinade later.⏱ Frying onions · 12 min
- Mix the chicken with the yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, biryani masala, red chilli, mint, coriander and half the fried onions. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours.⏱ Marinating chicken · 120 min
- Boil the rice (rinsed and soaked for 30 minutes) with the whole spices and plenty of salt in a large pot of water for 5–6 minutes, until it is about three-quarters cooked: the grain breaks easily but still has a firm white core. Drain at once.⏱ Par-boiling rice · 6 min
- Spread the marinated chicken in the bottom of a heavy pot and layer the par-cooked rice evenly on top, without pressing it down.
- Sprinkle the saffron milk (a pinch of saffron soaked in 3 tbsp warm milk), remaining fried onions, mint, coriander and ghee over the rice.
- Seal the pot tightly with a lid, sealing the rim with a strip of dough or foil. Cook 5 minutes on medium heat until steam builds, then on the lowest heat (ideally on a tawa) for 40 minutes, since the chicken is raw underneath. Before resting, check that the chicken reaches 74 °C / 165 °F; if not, reseal and cook 10 more minutes.⏱ Cooking on dum · 45 min
- Turn off the heat and rest the pot for 10 minutes without opening it. Then break the seal, fluff the rice gently from the edge and serve with raita.⏱ Resting biryani · 10 min
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Frequently asked questions
How long does Hyderabadi Biryani take?
105 minutes in total: about 45 minutes of prep and 60 minutes of cooking.
Is Hyderabadi Biryani hard to make?
Degchi rates it hard. The method has 7 steps, and 5 of them have a timer you can start on this page.
How many people does Hyderabadi Biryani serve?
This recipe serves 6. Use the toggle above the ingredient list to see the amounts in metric or US measures. For more or fewer portions, scale every amount in the same proportion, or use the servings control in the Degchi app.
Is Hyderabadi Biryani halal, vegetarian or eggless?
It is marked halal in our recipe data. It is not vegetarian. It has no egg. It has no beef. Check the labels on any packaged ingredients for your own needs.
What will I probably need to buy for Hyderabadi Biryani?
Everyday staples that Degchi counts as pantry basics: red chilli powder, salt. Spice-box items: biryani masala, saffron. Fresh items you will probably need to buy: chicken, yogurt, onion, ginger, garlic, mint, coriander, clarified butter. Lentils, grains and other dry goods: rice.
Any tips for making Hyderabadi Biryani?
Sealing the pot well is the real secret — no steam should escape while the rice and chicken finish cooking together. This is the kacchi (raw-marinated) style, which is why it needs a longer, gentler dum. The pakki style cooks the chicken first, then layers it with the rice and needs only about 20 minutes on dum.
Notes and questions
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Cooking terms in this recipe: Dum · Sella rice
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