So, you want to make biryani. But don’t want to wait hours. I get it. I used to think the same. But it’s not so hard. Really. I will tell you how I do it. Step by step. It’s simple. Trust me.
First, rice. I use basmati. It cooks fast. Smells good. Take a pot. Add water. Not too much. Just enough. Add a pinch of salt. Maybe a cardamom pod. Or a clove. Optional. But nice smell. Bring it to boil. When it boils, add rice. Let it cook. Soft, not mushy. While rice cooks, we do chicken.
Chicken. Cut small pieces. Doesn’t have to be perfect. Heat pan. Add little oil. Fry onions. Let them get golden. Then add garlic and ginger. Stir. Add chicken. Stir. Add turmeric. Pinch of cumin. Pinch of coriander. Tiny garam masala. Stir again. Cook few minutes. Smells nice now.
If you have saffron, soak few strands in warm milk. Few minutes. Nice color. Nice smell. Optional.
Check rice. Ready? Drain carefully. Set aside. Keep warm.
Layering now. Take deep pan. Chicken bottom. Spread well. Rice on top. Sprinkle fried onions. Fresh coriander. A little saffron milk if you have. Cover. Steam. Low heat. 8–10 minutes. Don’t open early. Let flavors mix. Chicken juices go into rice. Rice soft. Good.
While steaming, make raita if you like. Yogurt. Salt. Chop the cucumber or onion. Mint optional. Mix. Done.
After 10 minutes, turn off the heat. Wait one minute. Open. Fluff rice. Gently. Don’t mash. Keep layers separate. Taste. Maybe squeeze lemon. Add herbs. Serve hot. Enjoy.
Tips I follow:
Chop onions, garlic, and ginger before starting. Saves time.
Leftover chicken works if short on time.
Rice is soft, not mushy. Very important.
Little touches like lemon, coriander, and fried onions make a big difference.
And that’s it. Thirty minutes. Hot, tasty biryani. Homemade feel. Smells amazing. You did it. Easy.
