The Indian Biriyani varieties are as diverse as our nation. The word ‘biriyani’ comes from the Persian word ‘birinjan’ and translates roughly into ‘a mixture of rice’. In India, biryanis are made with either chicken or lamb (or both) and seasoned with a variety of spices, herbs and nuts. Sometimes they’re mixed with vegetables or fruit like raisins and cashews too.
Kashmiri Biryani
Kashmiri Biryani is a rice-based dish that’s made with meat, spices and fragrant basmati rice. It is a specialty of the Kashmir region in India and Pakistan. The word “biryani” comes from the Urdu language meaning “fried” or “roasted”. The traditional way to make this dish involves marinating meats with spices overnight before cooking them in oil over an open flame for hours on end until they are tender enough to fall off the bone. After this point, you’ll add onions and tomatoes (both fried separately) then simmer your meat until it absorbs all those delicious flavors from its marinade! You can serve Kashmiri biryani plain but we recommend adding raita–a yogurt side dish flavored with cucumber–to complement its rich spiciness
Hyderabadi Biryani
Hyderabadi Biryani is a specialty of Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh. It is also popular in Pakistan and the Gulf countries. The rice is cooked with spices and meat to create a unique flavour that’s different from other biryanis. Hyderabadi Biryani is often served with raita (a yogurt based dish) or korma (a creamy curry).
Kolkata Biryani
Kolkata Biryani is a vegetarian biryani with a strong flavour of mustard oil, spices and herbs. It’s made with potatoes, carrots and cauliflower along with peas that are cooked in a tangy tomato-based gravy. The Kolkata Biryani is served with raita on the side.
Thalassery Biryani
Thalassery Biryani is a famous dish from Kerala, India. It’s made with meat, fish and vegetables and has a spicy sour taste. It is served with yogurt pickles and papadums (lentil chips).
Mughlai Biryani
The Mughlai Biryani is a type of biryani that originated in the Mughal Empire. It’s a royal dish, and it’s made with lamb or chicken, rice, and a variety of spices. The meat is usually garnished with nuts and raisins.
Awadhi Biryani
Awadhi biryani is the most popular variety of biryani in India. The name “Awadh” refers to the ancient province of Oudh (or Awadh), which is now part of Uttar Pradesh. The dish was popularized by Mughal rulers who ruled over this region and is still considered one of the finest types of biryanis in India today. The main ingredients are basmati rice cooked with chicken or mutton and flavored with a special blend of spices including saffron, cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks and cloves along with ginger-garlic paste for added flavor. It’s often served alongside raita–an Indian yogurt dish made from cucumbers or tomatoes–and mirchi ka salan (a spicy condiment made from capsicum).
Ambur Biryani
Ambur Biryani is a popular variety of biryani from the Ambur town of Tamil Nadu. It is made with basmati rice and meat, and has a unique flavor. In Ambur Biryani, rice cooked with spices like coriander seeds, cumin seeds, cardamom pods and cinnamon sticks is layered on top of chicken or mutton pieces cooked in curd (yogurt). The whole dish is then cooked in an oven at low temperatures for several hours until every grain of rice absorbs all the flavors from its surrounding ingredients and gets perfectly tender or “falling apart” as we say in Indian cuisine!
We hope that this article has helped you understand the different types of biryani. If you’re interested in trying out some of these recipes, we have links to each one below!
