India’s Hyderabadi biryani among the world’s 100 best dishes: try this easy 30-minute recipe!

Rank 31 may not seem like a big feat, but it is when you’re talking on a global scale. And that’s the number that Hyderabadi biryani came in, in Taste Atlas’s ‘World’s 100 Best Dishes’ list. Now, eating biryani is a joy ride from the first bite to the last grain, so it’s surrounded by all kinds of horrible notions, mostly having to do with the fact that it’s not up to par for a novice or from a beginner in the kitchen. Well, we’re here to put an end to your biryani woes, potentially for good! Aside from the prep and marinating (which you can get a head start on today, suffice it to say), this recipe from Swasthi’s Recipes only takes 30 minutes to really come together. Now, that doesn’t sound too bad for a weeknight, especially if you get a plate of steaming, flavor-packed homemade biryani at the end. So, let’s get cooking.

The easiest Hyderabadi biryani recipe you will ever come across!

Hyderabadi Biryani

Ingredients: Aged basmati rice – 1.5 cups, chicken – 1/2 kg, biryani masala – 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon, large onion – 1, coriander leaves – 4 tablespoons, oil or ghee – 4 spoons tbsp, ghee – 2 tbsp, 1/4 tsp kesar strands soaked in 3 tbsp hot milk; Marinade — ginger and garlic paste – 1.25 tbsp, haldi – 1/4 tsp, dahi – 2/3 cup, lemon juice – 1 tbsp, red chili powder – 1 to 1 .5 teaspoon, garam masala/biryani masala – 1 to 1/5 teaspoon, salt – 3/4 teaspoon; Whole spices for rice – water – 7 cups, salt – 1 to 1.25 teaspoon, oil – 1 teaspoon, bay leaf – 1, cinnamon – 3 inches, cloves – 6, green cardamom – 4 , star anise – 1, black cardamom – 1, mace – 2 sprigs, shahi jeera – 1/2 teaspoon

Method: Thinly slice the onions and fry them in the oil – be careful not to burn them. The rest of the oil in the pan should be reserved for marinating. Mix all the marinade ingredients with the oil and brush the chicken well. Leave to sit for at least 2 hours, or even overnight. Now boil the water for the rice with the spices and then add the rice. Cook until 75% cooked, before draining the water. Now take out the main pot in which you will add dum to your biryani. Cover with oil, then onions, a little chicken and mint and coriander leaves. Now add some rice, followed by more onions, leaves, masala and a little saffron milk. Drizzle some ghee and repeat another layer. Now just cover the casserole dish with tightly folded aluminum foil with a thick lid. First cook over medium-high heat for 20 minutes, followed by an additional 15 minutes over low heat. Let sit for 20 to 30 minutes before serving with raita and onions.

May the biryani gods be with you!