The crackling of cumin seeds as they golden in a wok, the aromatic lure of a delightful mix of spices, the pliant feel of marinated meat between your fingers, waiting to be turned into soul-satisfying biryani—talk about having all your senses dance in joy!
Biryani is not food but emotions to many. What makes it a versatile cuisine is that the taste and flavour can be changed largely by just adding or removing certain ingredients. Biryani comes in many flavours and textures in India, originating from the individual state's culture and practices. This has made possible a myriad of wholesome biryanis of India found across the country. While a place might be known for its super spicy biryani, others might serve tanginess-filled biryani!
Come with us on the salivating journey of exploring different types of biryanis of India. The biryani variants covered in this blog are:
Hyderabadi Biryani
Lucknowi Biryani
Dindigul Biryani
Ambur Biryani
Bhatkali Biryani
Kolkata Biryani
Sindhi Biryani
Malabar Biryani
Bombay biryani
Straight from Andhra Pradesh—Hyderabadi Biryani
This is one of the most famous ones among the various types of biryanis of India. Go to any lane in any city in southern India; you will find at least one biryani shop lined with a biryani-lover crowd. This part of the nation knows how to dive into the delicacy of biryani. While every chef and food enthusiast has his own way of preparing the cuisine, the two ingredients you will find in the Hyderabadi Biryani are saffron and coconut. Here, the biryanis are cooked in layers. And while the meat gravy generally dominates most biryanis, the saffron-mixed rice stays on the top in this variant.
Nawabi treat from Uttar Pradesh—Awadhi Biryani
Have you ever bumped upon videos where they make biryani real slow, where meat and vegetables are cooked over a low flame, typically in dough-sealed containers with aromatic spices? This is how Lucknowi Biryani aka Awadhi Biryani is made. Lucknowi biryani derives its inspiration from the Persian style of cooking. Dum Pukht is the concept that defines this biryani. As a signature practice of most Persian cuisines, meat is partially cooked and layered in the Dum Pukht style and cooked in a sealed handi. It remains low on spices making it good for your tummy.
Spicy temptation from Tamil Nadu—Dindigul Biryani
One of the biryanis of India is the signature biryani from Tamil Nadu. Dindigul Biryani is a spicy variant of biryani one can ever lay his hands on! This biryani uses the standard biryani masala but is topped with a lot of pepper, offering a tempting orangish hue. This biryani uses jeera sambar rice instead of the usual basmati rice, giving it a unique taste. It has cube-sized meat instead of big chunks that make delectable cuisine.
A culinary delight from Tamil Nadu—Ambur Biryani
Originating from a quaint town in Tamil Nadu, Ambur is famous for its biryani. If you have taken a road trip from Chennai to Bangalore, chances are you have probably seen several biryani outlets dotting the highway. Ambur Biryani has a super tangy flavour due to its marinating style and ingredients. Typically, chefs soak the meat in curd and coat it with mint and coriander chutney before adding it to the rice. The tanginess balances out the meatiness in biryani. This is one of the types of biryanis of India that involves several types of meat ranging from chicken, mutton, beef, and prawn.
A flavourful treat from coastal Karnataka—Bhatkali Biryani
A lesser-known, less-spiced biryani makes up festival cuisines in most of the homes in coastal Karnataka. Though low on spice, this one of the biryanis of India carries a magical flavour. Credited to the Nawayath Muslims of Bhatkal, Karnataka—one can find onions and green chillies in abundance in this recipe. The layering of ingredients is followed in this biryani as well. Unlike Ambur Biryani, meat pieces in this biryani are cooked in curd. This process makes it a whole less spicy than its counterparts.
The sweetness from the East—Kolkata Biryani
As the name suggests, this biryani has its roots in Kolkata, West Bengal. This is one of the biryanis of India known for its sweet and spicy aroma. A handful of different herbs and nuts creates this mouthwatering amalgamation! The cooking style is similar to Awadhi Biryani, but the taste is well-distinguished. Like most biryanis, the meat is marinated with yoghurt before adding it to yellow rice. Boiled eggs and potatoes are additional ingredients to this biryani, seasoned with sweetness and fewer spices. Saffron, kewra, and nutmeg further add to the aroma of this biryani.
Left but not forgotten—Sindhi Biryani
Every food lover's delight—Sindhi Biryani is a gift from Sindh province, which has now moved to Pakistan. This cuisine includes a generous amount of chopped green chillies, mint and coriander leaves paste, roasted spices, onions, nuts, and dried fruits, making it very savoury! It is further cooked in yoghurt, making it more aromatic and flavoury. Like in the Kolkata Biryani, potatoes are added to this recipe with additional plums to create a good measure for a larger crowd.
The richness of nuts and goodness of rice—Malabar Biryani
Kozhikode, Thalassery, and Malappuram from Kerala are known for their special biryanis of India. The particular taste is added to this biryani by a variety of rice produced and found locally in Khyma rice. The flavour is further enhanced by using spices, cashew nuts, and raisins. Furthermore, this biryani has an altogether different cooking style where the meat gravy is cooked in a separate unit from the rice. The meat and rice are mixed at the time of serving.
Soul-filling-food from Maharashtra—Bombay Biryani
Bombay Biryani is one of the biryanis of India that have the right amount of sweetness, spiciness, and tanginess to them. It is cooked in dum style, with a rich mix of spices and fried potatoes. Basmati rice is usually used to create this biryani, with a layering process where each layer is topped with kewra water for an aromatic experience.
Other exciting types of biryanis of India include exotic Vegan Biryani and Truffle Mushroom biryani.
Yes, we are not kidding. Charcoal Eats, a popular name in the world of biryanis serves Vegan biryani made with plant-based koftas that taste equally heavenly as any meat. You would not believe it until you try it! Another exotic biryani that you find here is the Truffle Mushroom Biryani. Truffle Mushroom is one of the most expensive and rare cooking ingredients from France and Italy. Charcoal Eats serves this delectable fusion biryani marrying the Indian flavours with the French, making it one of the hottest biryanis in town.
Mumbai is home to thousands of biryani houses, among which Charcoal Eats stands out in terms of taste and service. With in-house expert chefs who specialize in creating a delicious mix of spice, meat, and rice that can be ordered online. If you are someone who is looking to place a mutton biryani online order, you should look for this place. Look today to get deals and offers at Charcoal eats!
India is home to many religions and cultures; each culture stands for its unique customs. These customs are reflected in their food and cooking style, making recipes from each region unique. This is what perhaps makes the food journey a must thing to explore and learn while in India! The biryanis of India have already taken you to the travel tale of the country across.
Here ends our list of heavenly recipes of biryanis of India, hope we got you inspired enough to get your hands on these delicacies at your next chance!