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How to Make Dum Biryani

Dum Biryani (दम बिरयानी) — Indian Spiced Rice Pilaf

Dum Biryani is India's most famous rice dish and a royal delicacy passed down from the Mughal Empire era. "Dum" means "slow-cooking with steam." Marinated meat and half-cooked Basmati rice are layered in a pot, which is then sealed and slow-cooked to allow the essence of the spices to fully penetrate. This is an extremely aromatic, multi-layered main dish. Preparation takes about 90 minutes (including 1 hour for marinating the meat).

Estimated Cooking Difficulty: ★★★☆☆

Essential Ingredients and Tools

  • Basmati Rice
  • Chicken Thighs (boneless; lamb can be substituted)
  • Yogurt
  • Onions
  • Tomatoes
  • Ginger
  • Garlic
  • Green Chilies
  • Cilantro (Coriander leaves)
  • Mint Leaves
  • Saffron (edible yellow food coloring can be used as a substitute)
  • Milk
  • Ghee
  • Cooking Oil
  • Turmeric Powder
  • Red Chili Powder
  • Garam Masala
  • Whole Spices: Bay Leaves, Cinnamon Sticks, Cardamom, Cloves, Star Anise
  • Salt
  • Heavy-bottomed Pot (with a tight-fitting lid for sealing)
  • Dough (for sealing the pot lid)

Calculations

Determine how many servings you want to make before each preparation. One serving is sufficient for 3-4 people.

Per Serving:

Meat Marination:

  • Chicken Thighs: 500g (boneless, cut into large chunks)
  • Yogurt: 100ml
  • Ginger: 15g, grated
  • Garlic: 6 cloves (approx. 18g), grated
  • Red Chili Powder: 5g
  • Turmeric Powder: 3g
  • Garam Masala: 5g
  • Salt: 5g
  • Lemon Juice: 15ml

Rice Portion:

  • Basmati Rice: 300g (soaked for 30 minutes in advance)
  • Water: 2000ml (for boiling rice)
  • Bay Leaves: 2 leaves
  • Cardamom: 3 pods
  • Cloves: 4 pieces
  • Cinnamon Stick: 1 stick (approx. 5cm)
  • Star Anise: 1 piece
  • Salt: 10g

Assembly Portion:

  • Onions: 3 (approx. 300g), thinly sliced
  • Cooking Oil: 50ml (for frying onions)
  • Ghee: 30g
  • Saffron: 0.5g + Warm Milk: 30ml (for soaking)
  • Mint Leaves: 20g
  • Cilantro Leaves: 20g
  • Green Chilies: 3, slit lengthwise

Instructions

Marinating the Chicken (1 hour in advance)

  • In a large bowl, mix yogurt, grated ginger and garlic, red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, salt, and lemon juice.
  • Add the chicken chunks and coat them evenly with the marinade.
  • Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (overnight is best).

Preparing Saffron Milk and Frying Onions

  • Soak 0.5g of saffron in 30ml of warm milk for 15 minutes, and set aside.
  • Pour 50ml of cooking oil into a pan and heat over medium heat.
  • Add thin slices of onion and stir-fry until deep golden brown and crispy (about 12-15 minutes; patience is required).
  • Remove the fried onions, drain excess oil with paper towels, and set aside.

Cooking Par-boiled Rice

  • Drain the soaked Basmati rice.
  • Bring 2000ml of water to a boil in a large pot.
  • Add bay leaves, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon sticks, star anise, and 10g of salt.
  • Add the rice and boil over high heat for 5-6 minutes, until the rice is about 70% cooked (soft on the outside but still firm in the center).
  • Drain immediately, discard the whole spices, and set aside.

Assembly and Dum Cooking

  • Grease the bottom of a heavy-bottomed pot with 15g of ghee.
  • Layer 1: Spread the marinated chicken evenly on the bottom of the pot.
  • Layer 2: Add half of the par-boiled rice.
  • Sprinkle half of the fried onions, mint leaves, cilantro leaves, and green chilies.
  • Layer 3: Add the remaining rice.
  • Sprinkle the remaining fried onions, mint leaves, and cilantro leaves.
  • Evenly drizzle the saffron milk over the top layer of rice.
  • Place the remaining 15g of ghee (cut into small pieces and scattered) on top.
  • Seal the lid: Seal the gaps around the pot's rim using a dough made from flour and water (traditional method), or wrap the pot's rim with aluminum foil before placing the lid.
  • Heat over high heat for 3 minutes until steam begins to escape.
  • Then reduce to the lowest heat and cook on dum for 25-30 minutes.
  • After turning off the heat, do not open the lid and let it rest for another 5 minutes.
  • Open the lid, gently fold the layers together from the bottom using a large spatula to mix evenly.
  • Serve with Raita.

Additional Notes

  • Basmati rice is essential for making Biryani; regular rice cannot replicate its unique long-grain aroma. It is available on major Chinese e-commerce platforms.
  • Sealed dum cooking is the essence of this dish. Steam must not escape, or the rice will dry out.
  • The rice should only be cooked to 70% doneness, as it will continue to absorb moisture and cook further during the dum process. Overcooking will result in mushy rice in the final dish.
  • There are two major schools of Indian Biryani: Hyderabadi style uses raw meat at the bottom for dum cooking, while Lucknowi style pre-cooks the meat before assembling with rice. This recipe uses the most common hybrid method.
  • This dish is a staple at weddings and festivals in India and is known as the "national dish of India."

If you encounter any issues or have suggestions for improvement after following this guide, please submit an Issue or Pull request.