Biryani

also called chicken biryani · biriyani · briyani · dum biryani · hyderabadi biryani · birani

The table

2 1/2 lb(1.1 kg; skinned and slashed)bone-in chicken thighsmarinate 2 hrlayer the pot, meat under riceseal the lid on and steam 35 min on the lowest heat
1 cup(240 g)thick yogurt
2 Tbs(34 g)ginger-garlic paste
1 TbsKashmiri chile powder
2 tspgaram masala
1/4 cup(chopped)mint
1/4 cup(chopped)cilantro
2 tspkosher salt
2 1/2 cups(500 g; rinsed until the water runs clear, then soaked 30 minutes and drained)basmati riceboil 5 min, until it bends but still snaps
4 qt(3.8 L)water
4 podsgreen cardamom
4cloves
1bay leaf
2 Tbskosher salt
1 large pinchsaffronsoak 10 min, until the milk goes orange
1/4 cup(60 mL)warm milk
1 cup(the fried-onion recipe)birista
3 Tbs(42 g)melted ghee
4 oz(115 g; flour and water, no more)stiff flour dough
Dum is the whole thing: the pot is shut the chicken cooks in its own steam from below the rice above finishes in that steam rather than in water. Break the seal at the table. A biryani is not a stirred rice — the shop next door that sells you rice mixed with curry is selling you a pulao the difference is exactly this lid. Raita is not optional beside it
Tap anything to cross it off.

What to lay out

Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.20 things to get out.

Pans and tools

1marinate 2 hr

2boil 5 min, until it bends but still snaps

3soak 10 min, until the milk goes orange

4layer the pot, meat under rice

goes in with what steps 1, 2 and 3 made

5seal the lid on and steam 35 min on the lowest heat

goes in with what step 4 made

Cooking it

Start to finish is the longest chain through the table, so branches that overlap are counted once. That is why the waits add up to more than the clock — and it only holds if you get them going together.

Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.

The clock

Start to finish
at least 2 hr 35 mintwo waits that overlap count once
Needs you
none givenof the steps that give a time

One of the 5 steps never says how long it takes, so both numbers are floors. The recipe itself says 3 hr 30 min.

  1. marinate 2 hr

    2 hrwalk awayfrom the start

  2. boil 5 min, until it bends but still snaps

    5 minwalk awayfrom the start

  3. soak 10 min, until the milk goes orange

    10 minwalk awayfrom the start

  4. layer the pot, meat under rice

    not timed2 hr in

  5. seal the lid on and steam 35 min on the lowest heat

    35 minwalk away2 hr in

Drawn to scale, so a long wait really does take up the room it takes. The shortest stretches keep a sliver so they stay visible; their times are printed beside them. Bars that line up are happening at the same time.

You'll need heavy pot

Goes with

See how it is written
>> title: Biryani
>> category: Rice, Beans & Grains
>> tags: chicken, rice, indian, saffron, layered
>> counters: Curry House
>> aka: chicken biryani, biriyani, briyani, dum biryani, hyderabadi biryani, birani
>> pairs-with: birista, raita, mint-chutney
>> servings: 6
>> time: 3 hr 30 min
>> step.1: marinate 2 hr
>> step.2: boil 5 min, until it bends but still snaps
>> step.3: soak 10 min, until the milk goes orange
>> step.4: layer the pot, meat under rice
>> step.5: seal the lid on and steam 35 min on the lowest heat

Marinate @bone-in chicken thighs{2 1/2%lb}(1.1 kg; skinned and slashed) with @thick yogurt{1%cup}(240 g), @ginger-garlic paste{2%Tbs}(34 g), @Kashmiri chile powder{1%Tbs}, @garam masala{2%tsp}, @mint{1/4%cup}(chopped), @cilantro{1/4%cup}(chopped) and @kosher salt{2%tsp} ~marinate{2%hr}.

Boil @basmati rice{2 1/2%cup}(500 g; rinsed until the water runs clear, then soaked 30 minutes and drained) in @water{4%qt}(3.8 L) with @green cardamom{4%pods}, @cloves{4}, @bay leaf{1} and @kosher salt{2%Tbs} ~boil{5%min}, until a grain bends between the fingers and still snaps in the middle, then drain it at once. Rice cooked through here comes out of the pot as porridge.

Soak @saffron{1%large pinch} in @warm milk{1/4%cup}(60 mL) ~soak{10%min}, until the milk has gone orange.

Layer @&(~3)marinated chicken{} in the bottom of a #heavy pot{}, the @&(~2)parboiled rice{} over it, then @&(~1)saffron milk{} spooned across in stripes with @birista{1%cup}(the fried-onion recipe) and @melted ghee{3%Tbs}(42 g). Do not stir it, now or ever. The stripes are what makes a plate of biryani come out white, orange and brown instead of uniformly yellow.

Seal @&(~1)layered pot{} — lid clamped down under a rope of @stiff flour dough{4%oz}(115 g; flour and water, no more) pressed round the rim — and ~steam{35%min} on the lowest heat the ring will give, on a griddle or diffuser if you have one.

Dum is the whole thing: the pot is shut, the chicken cooks in its own steam from below, and the rice above finishes in that steam rather than in water. Break the seal at the table. A biryani is not a stirred rice — the shop next door that sells you rice mixed with curry is selling you a pulao, and the difference is exactly this lid. Raita is not optional beside it.