Biryani is a fragrant and flavourful rice dish where your choice of meat, seafood, or vegetables is cooked together with basmati or sella rice. Originating from the Indian subcontinent, it is celebrated for its rich aroma, colourful presentation, and perfect balance of spices. With countless variations – perhaps a million – every region offers its own unique style of biryani, yet the essence remains the same: a festive, comforting dish that brings people together.

Cooked and refined through 600+ iterations over the past few years, this dairy-free biryani delivers the same satisfaction as a perfectly made traditional biryani. It is designed to be good, reliable, and easy to make — a biryani that brings families together around the table.

 

🍳 Cooking Overview

Making biryani is simple with our spice mix — just follow these 4 steps:

1. Prepare the biryani paste – Cook the spice mix with onion, tomato, ginger, and garlic (approximately 20 minutes). Allow the paste to cool completely before using it for marination. This paste can be prepared in advance and stored in the freezer.
   
2. Marinate – Coat your choice of protein or vegetables with the paste. Rub thoroughly with firm pressure so the paste penetrates the meat or vegetables. Suggested marination time is 2 hours; however, overnight marination enhances flavour.
   
3. Soak the rice – Rinse and soak basmati or sella rice for a minimum of 45 minutes.
   
4. Cook the biryani – Cook the marinated protein or vegetables with rice until fragrant and fluffy. Cooking time varies depending on the protein used.
   

⏱️ Cooking Summary

• Yield: Approximately 2 kg of biryani
  
• Suitable for: Up to 1 kg raw meat or vegetables
  

🛠️ Cooking Method & Tools

• Stove top: For paste and biryani cooking
  
• Blender (optional): For fresh ginger–garlic paste
  
• Food processor (optional): For dicing onions only. Do not use a food processor to dice tomatoes.
  

🧄 Ingredients for Biryani Paste

• 50 ml sunflower oil
  
• 225 g onion, finely diced
  
• 1 large green chilli (optional)
  
• 15 g fresh coriander leaves
  
• 15 g fresh mint leaves
  
• 30 g ginger–garlic paste
  
• 1 sachet Chilli Farms Biryani Spice Mix
  
• 165 g fresh tomatoes
  
• 20 g lemon juice
  

🧄 Ingredients for Biryani

• 1 kg protein or vegetables
  
• 50 ml sunflower oil
  
• 1 litre water or stock
  
• 500 g basmati rice
  

👨🍳 Cooking Instructions – Prepare the Paste

1. Gather ingredients – Assemble all ingredients before starting.
   
2. Ginger–garlic paste – Blend equal parts ginger and garlic into a smooth paste. Add a small amount of water if required.
   
3. Chopping – Finely dice the onions (approximately 6 mm), coriander leaves, mint leaves, and fresh tomatoes. Slit the green chilli into halves.
   
4. Cook onions – Heat sunflower oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add diced onions and sauté until light brown. Do not cook on high heat. This step takes about 12–15 minutes and requires patience.
   
5. Add ginger–garlic paste – Stir in the paste and cook until the oil begins to separate.
   
6. Add spice mix – Lower the heat, add the biryani spice mix, and cook until the oil separates again.
   
7. Incorporate tomato, green chilli, herbs & lemon – Add diced tomatoes, slit green chilli, coriander, mint, and lemon juice. Cook on low to medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring continuously until bubbles begin to rise.
   
8. Cool the paste – Allow the paste to cool completely before using it for marination.
   

👨🍳 Cooking Instructions – Marinate

1. Dice your choice of meat or vegetables into approximately 2.5 cm × 2.5 cm pieces.
   
2. Mix the protein or vegetables with the prepared paste and marinate ideally for 24 hours (minimum 2 hours). You can cook immediately, but longer marination gives better flavour.

👨🍳 Cooking Instructions – Soak rice

1. Soak the rice for at least 45 minutes.
   

👨🍳 Cooking Instructions – Cook the Biryani

1. You will require a non-stick or heavy-based pot with a firm-fitting lid.
   
2. Cook the protein or vegetables - Heat sunflower oil and add the marinated protein or vegetables. Cook on medium heat according to the protein used:
   
   •Mixed vegetables – 10 minutes
   •Chicken breast or thigh – 10 minutes
   •Red meats (lamb, beef, goat, or pork) – 30 minutes
   
3. Add water or stock gradually as needed until the protein is half cooked.
   
4. Add remaining stock and simmer for 5 minutes, until it begins to bubble.
   
5. Drain and add the soaked rice to the pot.
   
6. Cover with a lid and cook for 15–20 minutes, or until the rice is fully cooked and the liquid has evaporated. Cooking time may vary — rely on your experience with rice.
   
7. Rest for 10 minutes, then gently mix and serve.

 

Serve with raita or yoghurt, sliced onions, and a salad of your choice.