Biryani Rice Recipe

User Reviews

4.7

51 reviews
Excellent
  • Prep Time

    20 mins

  • Cook Time

    20 mins

  • Total Time

    35 mins

  • Servings

    3

  • Calories

    402 kcal

  • Course

    Main Course

  • Cuisine

    Indian

Biryani Rice Recipe

Biryani Rice or biryani chawal is a light, fragrant rice dish. The recipe is easy to prepare and goes very well with any rich vegetarian curry, raita or lentils (dal).

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Ingredients

Servings

Main ingredients

  • 1 cup basmati rice - 200 grams
  • 1.5 to 1.75 cups water or add as required
  • 2 tablespoons oil (any neutral flavored oil) or ghee (clarified butter)
  • 1 tej patta (Indian bay leaf), medium-sized
  • 3 to 4 cloves
  • 4 to 5 black peppercorns
  • 1 star anise (small-sized) - optional
  • 1 inch cinnamon
  • 3 to 4 green cardamoms
  • 2 to 3 single strands of mace
  • ½ teaspoon caraway seeds (shahi jeera) - swap with cumin seeds instead
  • 1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste or 3 to 4 garlic cloves + 1 inch ginger - crushed to a paste in mortar-pestle
  • 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)
  • 1 tablespoon chopped mint leaves
  • 18 to 20 saffron strands
  • 5 to 6 drops lemon juice
  • salt as required

For garnish

  • cup thinly sliced onions or 1 medium-sized onion
  • 10 to 12 cashews
  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped mint leaves or chopped coriander leaves
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Instructions

Soaking rice

  1. Rinse the basmati rice for a couple of times in water.
  2. Soak the basmati rice in water for 20 to 30 minutes. Later drain the water and set the soaked rice grains aside.

Sautéing spices, herbs and rice

  1. Heat oil or ghee in a 3 litre pressure cooker.
  2. Add the caraway seeds along with the whole spices and sauté them till fragrant.
  3. Now add the ginger-garlic paste, chopped coriander and mint leaves.
  4. Sauté for a few seconds till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.
  5. Then add the soaked rice and saffron strands. Stir gently.
  6. Now add 1.5 to 1.75 cups water, 5 to 6 drops of lemon juice and salt. Mix well.

Cooking biryani rice

  1. Pressure cook for 1 to 2 whistles or for 6 to 7 minutes. If you have used a 2 litre pressure cooker, it will take more time to cook - about 8 to 10 minutes.
  2. Let the pressure fall naturally in the cooker and then only open the lid.
  3. If cooking in a pan, then cover the pan tightly with a lid. Cook rice till the grains are tender and all the water has been absorbed.
  4. The rice grains should be cooked well and yet remain separate. They should not become soft or mushy.
  5. While cooking in a pan, check in between and if needed stir gently. If you feel the water is less in the pan, then add the required amount of hot water.Cover with a lid again and let the rice grains cook till all the water is absorbed and the rice grains have softened and cooked perfectly.

Preparing garnish

  1. While the rice is cooking, heat oil in a small frying pan or skillet. Add the sliced onions. Stirring often sauté the onions until they become golden on a low to medium-low heat.
  2. Add a pinch of salt so that the onions brown quickly.
  3. Remove and drain the caramelized onions on kitchen paper so that the extra oil is soaked.
  4. In the same pan, roast or toast the cashews till golden.
  5. While serving, garnish the Biryani Rice with fried onions, cashews, coriander or mint leaves.
  6. You can serve Biryani Rice with raita, any rich vegetarian curry or dal as well.

Notes

  • To get the perfect aroma, flavor and taste, I would suggest using all whole spices. However, you can omit star anise and caraway seeds if you do not have these. You can include cumin seeds in place of caraway seeds. 
  • ow to medium-low heat until the rice grains are tender and fluffy.
  • Keep a check when the rice grains are simmering. If needed, you can add some hot water if the water has dried up or the rice grains are undercooked. 
  • Rice: Biryani rice is always made with basmati rice. Aged basmati rice gives the best taste and texture. Use a good quality and a trustworthy brand of aged basmati rice. With parboiled basmati rice (sella basmati) too, this biryani rice tastes good. Soak parboiled basmati rice for an hour and add some more water as needed when cooking.
  • Spices: To get the perfect aroma, flavor and taste, I would suggest using all whole spices. However, you can omit star anise and caraway seeds if you do not have these. You can include cumin seeds in place of caraway seeds. 
  • Vegetarian substitutes: Make the dish with ghee instead of oil.
  • Nuts: Replace cashews with almonds, pistachios, pine nuts or use a combination of these nuts for a rich version.
  • Saffron: If you do not have saffron strands, for the light yellow color, you can add a generous pinch of turmeric powder. But note that the delicate flavor and aroma of saffron will be missing from the dish. You could add about 1 to 2 teaspoons of rose water or kewra water (pandanus water) for a lovely fragrant aroma. 
  • Water proportion: The quantity of water will vary in relation to the variety and age of rice. For 1 cup of basmati rice, 1.5 to 1.75 cups of water works perfectly when cooking in a pressure cooker and 2 cups for cooking in a pan.
  • Soaking rice: It always helps to soak rice grains prior to cooking. Soaking not only makes the rice grains fluffier but also reduces the cooking time. You can soak rice grains for 20 to 30 minutes. If short of time, then you may need to add some more water, about 2 to 2.25 cups to the un-soaked rice while cooking in the pressure cooker. 
  • Rinsing rice: For fluffy, separate, non-sticky rice grains, rinse the rice grains thoroughly until the water is clear of starch. 
  • To make biryani rice in your instant pot, follow the sautéing instructions of the spices, herbs and rice in the steel insert of your IP using the sauté function.
  • Add 1.5 cups of water and mix in the salt and lemon juice. Seal with the IP lid with the pressure valve positioned to the sealing position.
  • Pressure cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. After hearing the beep sound when the pressure cooking is complete, wait for 10 minutes and then do a quick pressure release. When all the pressure is released, remove the lid and fluff the rice. Serve hot with the prepared garnishes. 
  • For making biryani rice in a pan, sauté the spices, herbs and rice in a heavy thick bottomed pan or pot on low to medium-low heat.
  • Add 2 cups water and mix salt. Cover and simmer on a low to medium-low heat until the rice grains are tender and fluffy.
  • Keep a check when the rice grains are simmering. If needed, you can add some hot water if the water has dried up or the rice grains are undercooked. 
  • Once cooked, fluff the rice and serve hot. 

Nutrition Information

Show Details
Calories 402kcal (20%) Carbohydrates 56g (19%) Protein 6g (12%) Fat 17g (26%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 13g Sodium 14mg (1%) Potassium 197mg (6%) Fiber 3g (12%) Sugar 1g (2%) Vitamin A 164IU (3%) Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1mg Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1mg Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 1mg Vitamin B6 1mg Vitamin C 4mg (4%) Vitamin E 6mg Vitamin K 4µg Calcium 55mg (6%) Vitamin B9 (Folate) 15µg Iron 2mg (11%) Magnesium 45mg Phosphorus 117mg Zinc 1mg

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 3Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 402 kcal

% Daily Value*

Calories 402kcal 20%
Carbohydrates 56g 19%
Protein 6g 12%
Fat 17g 26%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 13g 65%
Sodium 14mg 1%
Potassium 197mg 4%
Fiber 3g 12%
Sugar 1g 2%
Vitamin A 164IU 3%
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1mg
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1mg
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 1mg
Vitamin B6 1mg
Vitamin C 4mg 4%
Vitamin E 6mg
Vitamin K 4µg
Calcium 55mg 6%
Vitamin B9 (Folate) 15µg
Iron 2mg 11%
Magnesium 45mg 11%
Phosphorus 117mg
Zinc 1mg

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

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Overall Rating

4.7

51 reviews
Excellent

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