Making a brilliant biryani doesn’t have to be difficult. But consistently making a brilliant biryani can be a challenge. We’ve put together these great tips to ensure you can re-create a flavour-packed biryani every time.
Rice
This is the main ingredient so it has to be right. Once cooked you want soft, fluffy individual grains of rice, here’s how to achieve this:
1. Use the best quality long-grain rice you can, ideally Basmati
2. Soak the rice for at least 20 minutes before cooking to soften it
3. Rinse the rice in cold water to remove sticky starch on the surface
4. Don’t stir the rice during cooking or it will break down and become mushy
5. Always cook with the right amount of water – 1.6 litres for every 1 kg of rice works well
6. Use a rice cooker to get the best results
Spices, herbs and aromatics
Without these your biryani is going to be bland and dull, but balancing the flavours of these ingredients is no easy task, follow these tips:
7. Stick to a base of garlic, ginger, green chillies, curry leaves and rampe leaves
8. Simplify the rest of the spice preparation by using Knorr Biryani Mix to give a consistent taste and aroma every time
Meat
There’s always a risk of dry, overcooked meat when making biryani, to prevent this:
9. Marinade the meat before cooking to make it more flavoursome and tender and juicy
10. Keep the pan properly sealed whilst cooking to trap in moisture, flavours and aromas. A traditional way to do this is with a ring of dough around the top of the pan but foil around the lid works just as well.
