My Biryani Recipe

There are many ways to make delicious Hyderabadi Biryani! Here, I share with you the one which works for me.  (We call it Pakki Aakhni ki Biryani!)

Step 1: 

Rice Prep:

Take 2 cups (750 grams) basmati rice, wash it three times & let it soak in water at least for 30 minutes. 

Aakhni Prep:

Step 2:

In a bowl, take 1.5 kg chicken, wash it well.

Add :

2 tbsp ginger garlic paste, salt, 2 tsp red chili powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 2 tsp garam masala powder, 2 tbsp green chili paste (in a jar add 2 fist green chilies & grind them) – mix well.

Lastly, add 3 tbsp curd & mix well. Marinate it for at least 40 minutes.

Step 3:

  1. In a pan, take 6-7 medium sized onions, finely chop it & deep fry it until it turns light brown ( keep aside some fried onion for garnishing)
  2. Add marinated chicken from the step 2 & mix well
  3. Cover the lid & let it cook until the chicken is completely cooked & the water evaporates. 

Your Aakhni is ready!

Step 4: 

In a Bagona/patila add 4.5 glasses of water (use the same glass you did for measuring the rice)

Here, you will add whole garam masala:

  • 1.5big sticks of cinnamon, 
  • 6-7 cardamom,
  • 4-5 clove, 
  • 1.5 tsp Shahzeera (Royal Cumin) please do not confuse it for black caraway or caraway seeds. 
  • 1 bunch of mint leaves
  • 1 bunch of cilantro/ coriander
  • 10-12 whole green chilies.
  • salt
  • 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste

Cover it with a lid & let the water boil. 

Once you see the water boiling, add the soaked rice and mix well.

Let it cook until the rice is 3/4th cooked & strain the water. 

Step 5:

Your rice is almost ready, your chicken, mutton is ready, now we will set layers!

  • Take a big bagona: add a layer of your chicken akhni, add a layer of rice, squeeze half a lemon, add 1tbsp ghee (clarified butter) – make sure you evenly spread out everything. 
  • Add the rest of the chicken akhni, add the remaining rice, squeeze half a lemon, add 1 tbsp ghee.
  • heat 1/4 cup of milk with 1 pinch of saffron, mix well 
  • add the saffron to the layers, add fried onion (the one we keep aside from step 3), freshly chopped coriander/ cilantro & cover it with a lid.
  • Turn the stove on, let it cook n high flame for 5 minutes & 10 minutes on medium flame. 

Biryani is ready. ! While serving, make sure you mix all the layers well. Serve it with Dahi ki chutney!!!

Dahi ki chutney: In a jar add 1 cup curd, salt, black pepper, 1 green chili, few mint leaves, finely chopped 2 tbsp coriander & grind it. Add finely chopped 1/4th cucumber & 1/4th onion. Voila its ready!

I hope you enjoy the recipe!