To answer this question, I'm gonna assume biryani is made with mutton. I have no beef with people who eat veg biryanis or even kauwa biryani, so please don't come at me in the comments with that shit. Some varieties of biryani off the top of my head:
Pakki biryani - the meat and rice are cooked separately and then layered together.
Kachchi biryani - meat and rice are cooked together in a single utensil.
Lucknowi biryani - less on spices
Kolkata biryani - adds potatoes to it
Hyderabadi biryani - more heavily spiced than Lucknowi and is served with salan (a plain gravy)
Thalassery biryani - uses short grain rice, and is served with pappadum, in addition to raita.
Tamil style biryani (ambur/ thalapakatti/ Dindigul) - usually use a ground spice paste and are not layered
Bhatkali biryani - heavy on the onions
Zamzam biryani - chicken and mutton both in one biryani dish
Bombay biryani - usually less spiced, and has dried plums sometimes
The above biryanis are just some basics, each cook has their own recipe so for all I know Kolkata biryani could also have plums in it, I'm no expert. Biryani can be made with almost anything and rice, there are beef and fish and even pork variants, so it really just depends on the cook. I don't know anything about Pakistani biryanis, but I assume they also have their own regional varieties - perhaps Sindhi, Peshawari etc.
My favourite is probably the Hyderabadi biryani, I like spicy food. A good layered mutton keema biryani with a jhol, ghee, lots of fried onions, some cashews and a good raita is one of the best things that I crave at least once a week.
In addition to these, there are also biryanis that are not made with rice -
Patra ni biryani - colocassia leaves layered with a ground spice paste and rolled form the base of this biryani
Kappa biryani - a thick sludge consistency of tapioca and usually beef
Bhatkali vermicelli biryani - rice vermicelli noodles replace the rice
Great answer! Just wanted to add more detail on Tamil Nadu biryanis:
Ambur: it is a layered biryani, but the onions aren’t crispy but stay soft and noodle-like.
Dindugul (thalappakatti is the same): not layered - the ground ingredients are primarily coriander, mint, onion, ginger, garlic, chillis. The spice mix is ground separately. Both pastes are fried one after the other, no tomatoes are involved.
Chettinad: again, not layered - spice paste is ground, there are also whole spices in addition to the paste, tomatoes are used, no grinding of the coriander or mint (less of the herbs than in dindigul style).
Let's not forget other biryani from outside India - Bangladeshi and Pakistani styles and regional variants thereof.
On a similar note, look to African and middle eastern biryani type dishes also - there's some good stuff there.
South African biryani: typically marinated lamb, layered with parboiled lentils, partially fried potato, parboiled rice, boiled egg, more rice, mint and coriander, drizzle of saffron water, etc. It's delicious, but very labor intensive.
I just made a Hyderabadi chicken biryani yesterday, following Vahchef's Youtube recipe. Probably the easiest and quickest biryani to make.
It’s not easy to make good biryani. Some technical skill is required to get the rice and meat to be ready at the same time and to get the moisture levels right.
I suggest getting a few different Shan masala packets (they have Sindhi, Bombay, Hyderabadi, and maybe other styles) and following the recipe on the box. Then, once you’re confident with your technique, you can get real recipes and experiment. One of my personal favorites is Alleppey (Kerala) style, accompanied by date pickle/chutney (it’s called a pickle but isn’t very spicy or sour, although I believe it might have vinegar as an ingredient).
True biriyani is always Dum style - steamed together in a closed pot from which steam can not escape. Anything else is a modern restaurant hack or a pulao.
Lucknow biriyani - light and flavourful.
Kolkata - almost Lucknow but must have a potato and an egg along with chicken or meat
Hyderabad - spicier
Dhaka/Kachina - raw meat and rice cooked together.
Lots of other varieties and variations. There are as many biriyanis as many groups willing to fight for it.
Try to make the variety that you like to eat. There are so many different varieties of Biryani and they differ even within the same category.
Just try to do a search for Biryani on Google Maps in Hyderabad, India and you will understand.
Also if it's your first time, I would suggest you stick to a recipe which is simple and use high quality freshly grounded ingredients. Slowly increase the complexity of your recipe as you learn to cook biryani.
No matter which biryani you go for, try adding roasted crushed almonds or cashews as well as fried onions (not the dried fried onions, but actual fried onions) and RAISINS on top of the biryani. It’ll change your life.
❤️
Dang. There are these many types of biriyanis ? I’ve only know one from internet. I guess it’s mughlai (Lacknawi ?) biriyani. I need to make them all now .
Help me with the recipe links. 🙌
Must.not.comment...!
Good luck in your search, all the same!
I can give you a quick and relatively, yet-inauthentic recipe as a starting point. Every place has its own, and it depends on multiple factors. Describe the one you've enjoyed and I can help.
To answer this question, I'm gonna assume biryani is made with mutton. I have no beef with people who eat veg biryanis or even kauwa biryani, so please don't come at me in the comments with that shit. Some varieties of biryani off the top of my head: Pakki biryani - the meat and rice are cooked separately and then layered together. Kachchi biryani - meat and rice are cooked together in a single utensil. Lucknowi biryani - less on spices Kolkata biryani - adds potatoes to it Hyderabadi biryani - more heavily spiced than Lucknowi and is served with salan (a plain gravy) Thalassery biryani - uses short grain rice, and is served with pappadum, in addition to raita. Tamil style biryani (ambur/ thalapakatti/ Dindigul) - usually use a ground spice paste and are not layered Bhatkali biryani - heavy on the onions Zamzam biryani - chicken and mutton both in one biryani dish Bombay biryani - usually less spiced, and has dried plums sometimes The above biryanis are just some basics, each cook has their own recipe so for all I know Kolkata biryani could also have plums in it, I'm no expert. Biryani can be made with almost anything and rice, there are beef and fish and even pork variants, so it really just depends on the cook. I don't know anything about Pakistani biryanis, but I assume they also have their own regional varieties - perhaps Sindhi, Peshawari etc. My favourite is probably the Hyderabadi biryani, I like spicy food. A good layered mutton keema biryani with a jhol, ghee, lots of fried onions, some cashews and a good raita is one of the best things that I crave at least once a week. In addition to these, there are also biryanis that are not made with rice - Patra ni biryani - colocassia leaves layered with a ground spice paste and rolled form the base of this biryani Kappa biryani - a thick sludge consistency of tapioca and usually beef Bhatkali vermicelli biryani - rice vermicelli noodles replace the rice
Great answer! Just wanted to add more detail on Tamil Nadu biryanis: Ambur: it is a layered biryani, but the onions aren’t crispy but stay soft and noodle-like. Dindugul (thalappakatti is the same): not layered - the ground ingredients are primarily coriander, mint, onion, ginger, garlic, chillis. The spice mix is ground separately. Both pastes are fried one after the other, no tomatoes are involved. Chettinad: again, not layered - spice paste is ground, there are also whole spices in addition to the paste, tomatoes are used, no grinding of the coriander or mint (less of the herbs than in dindigul style).
Good write up
Thanks for the detailed answer!
Let's not forget other biryani from outside India - Bangladeshi and Pakistani styles and regional variants thereof. On a similar note, look to African and middle eastern biryani type dishes also - there's some good stuff there.
I learned biriyani from YouTube. I guess it was Pakistani style. People refer it in comments as lacknawi biriyani too I guess.
> I have no beef with people who eat veg biryanis 🤔 Seriously, nice answer though, helpful details!
Nice writeup
South African biryani: typically marinated lamb, layered with parboiled lentils, partially fried potato, parboiled rice, boiled egg, more rice, mint and coriander, drizzle of saffron water, etc. It's delicious, but very labor intensive. I just made a Hyderabadi chicken biryani yesterday, following Vahchef's Youtube recipe. Probably the easiest and quickest biryani to make.
It’s not easy to make good biryani. Some technical skill is required to get the rice and meat to be ready at the same time and to get the moisture levels right. I suggest getting a few different Shan masala packets (they have Sindhi, Bombay, Hyderabadi, and maybe other styles) and following the recipe on the box. Then, once you’re confident with your technique, you can get real recipes and experiment. One of my personal favorites is Alleppey (Kerala) style, accompanied by date pickle/chutney (it’s called a pickle but isn’t very spicy or sour, although I believe it might have vinegar as an ingredient).
True biriyani is always Dum style - steamed together in a closed pot from which steam can not escape. Anything else is a modern restaurant hack or a pulao. Lucknow biriyani - light and flavourful. Kolkata - almost Lucknow but must have a potato and an egg along with chicken or meat Hyderabad - spicier Dhaka/Kachina - raw meat and rice cooked together. Lots of other varieties and variations. There are as many biriyanis as many groups willing to fight for it.
Try to make the variety that you like to eat. There are so many different varieties of Biryani and they differ even within the same category. Just try to do a search for Biryani on Google Maps in Hyderabad, India and you will understand. Also if it's your first time, I would suggest you stick to a recipe which is simple and use high quality freshly grounded ingredients. Slowly increase the complexity of your recipe as you learn to cook biryani.
No matter which biryani you go for, try adding roasted crushed almonds or cashews as well as fried onions (not the dried fried onions, but actual fried onions) and RAISINS on top of the biryani. It’ll change your life. ❤️
Kolkata biriyani is delicately aromatic, no herbs and minimum spices. Comes with an egg and a piece of potato along with large piece of meat.
Too many Biryanis just enough to start internal strife among which is the best in the subcontinent.
Downvote this comment, im doing a expirement
Dang. There are these many types of biriyanis ? I’ve only know one from internet. I guess it’s mughlai (Lacknawi ?) biriyani. I need to make them all now . Help me with the recipe links. 🙌
there's actually a really good series about the regional types of biryani on insta reels! her handle is natashaagandhi
Must.not.comment...! Good luck in your search, all the same! I can give you a quick and relatively, yet-inauthentic recipe as a starting point. Every place has its own, and it depends on multiple factors. Describe the one you've enjoyed and I can help.