Biryani Recipes: 16 Fragrant Rice Dishes Inspired by a Village Grandpa Who Cooks Giant Pots and Gives Them Away

These biryani recipes were inspired by one of the most heartwarming cooking families on the internet. In the village of Chinna Veeramangalam in Tamil Nadu, India, a grandfather named M. Periyathambi, a former caterer, cooks with his grandsons and nephews in open green fields, stirring rice and spices in giant traditional pots. Their YouTube show, the Village Cooking Channel, now has about 31 million subscribers, and one mutton biryani video alone has passed 247 million views. The best part is what happens after the camera stops: the family serves the food at old-age homes and orphanages. If you loved our Indian dinners beyond takeout curry, this is the next step. Here are 16 fragrant rice dishes sized for a home kitchen, each with a short story, what you will need and easy steps..

Biryani Recipes Fit for a Village Feast: Big-Pot Chicken and Egg Biryani

This is the dish that made millions of people fall for the family’s videos: layers of saffron rice, tender chicken and halved boiled eggs, cooked in one huge pot and shared with everyone nearby. At home you can capture the same spirit with a wide heavy pot and a few extra eggs, so the whole table gets a bit of everything. Like any old-world family dish, it tastes best when several people help, one frying onions, one boiling eggs and one layering the rice. Serve it straight from the pot in the middle of the table..

You will need: 2 lb bone-in chicken pieces, 3 cups basmati rice, 1 cup plain yogurt, 2 large onions sliced and fried, 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste, 2 tbsp biryani masala, 6 boiled eggs halved, a pinch of saffron in 1/4 cup warm milk, mint, cilantro, salt, 4 tbsp ghee.

How to make it: 1. Marinate the chicken in yogurt, ginger garlic paste, masala, salt and half the fried onions for at least 1 hour. 2. Soak the rice 30 minutes, then boil it in salted water until about 70 percent cooked and drain. 3. Cook the chicken in ghee in a wide heavy pot for 15 minutes. 4. Layer the rice over the chicken, tuck in the eggs, add saffron milk, mint and the rest of the onions. 5. Cover tightly and cook on very low heat for 25 minutes, then rest 10 minutes before serving.

Classic Chicken Dum Biryani in a Home Pot

Most classic biryani recipes start here. Dum means slow cooking in a sealed pot, and it is the secret behind the soft, steamy chicken biryani served at weddings and family celebrations across South India. The raw marinated chicken goes into the bottom of the pot, the half-cooked rice goes on top, and the steam does the rest. If your family loves juicy chicken thigh dinners, use thighs here too, because they stay tender during the long, gentle cook. A strip of dough or foil around the lid keeps every bit of aroma inside.

You will need: 2 lb chicken thighs, 2 1/2 cups basmati rice, 3/4 cup yogurt, 2 onions fried golden, 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste, 1 1/2 tbsp chili powder and garam masala mix, 1 tsp turmeric, whole spices (bay leaf, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon), mint, saffron milk, 3 tbsp ghee, salt.

How to make it: 1. Marinate the chicken with yogurt, pastes, spices, mint and half the onions for 2 hours. 2. Parboil the soaked rice with the whole spices until 70 percent done and drain. 3. Spread the chicken in a heavy pot and cover with the rice. 4. Drizzle ghee and saffron milk, scatter the remaining onions and seal the lid with foil. 5. Cook 10 minutes on medium, then 30 minutes on the lowest heat, and rest before opening.

Biryani Recipes With Lamb: Slow-Cooked Mutton Biryani

The family’s most famous video, a giant mutton biryani with more than 247 million views, shows why goat and lamb biryani are treated as special-occasion food. The meat is cooked first until it is almost falling apart, so it melts into the rice during the final steam. In this Lucknow-style version, the biryani is sealed in a clay pot, which keeps it moist and gives a gentle earthy aroma. For more ideas, see our tender lamb dinners that feel like a celebration.

You will need: 2 lb bone-in lamb or goat shoulder pieces, 3 cups basmati rice, 1 cup yogurt, 3 onions sliced, 2 tomatoes chopped, 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste, 2 tbsp biryani masala, whole spices, mint, cilantro, saffron milk, 4 tbsp ghee, salt.

How to make it: 1. Brown the onions in ghee, add pastes, tomatoes, masala and the meat, and fry 10 minutes. 2. Stir in the yogurt and a cup of water, cover and simmer 60 to 75 minutes until tender. 3. Parboil the soaked rice with whole spices and drain. 4. Layer the rice over the meat with mint, cilantro and saffron milk. 5. Seal and cook on very low heat for 25 minutes.

Hyderabadi-Style Biryani With Fried Onions and Saffron Milk

Hyderabad is famous for its biryani, and the city’s style is all about contrast: spicy meat at the bottom, soft white and saffron-gold rice on top, and a crown of deeply browned onions called birista. Many home cooks say the onions matter as much as the meat, so fry them slowly until they are a dark golden color and crisp. A jar of homemade spice blend with cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and mace makes this dish taste like it came from an old city kitchen. Serve it with raita and a spicy pepper curry.

You will need: 2 lb chicken or lamb, 3 cups aged basmati rice, 1 cup thick yogurt, 4 onions thinly sliced and deep fried, 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste, 2 green chilies, 1 tsp mace and cardamom powder, a big pinch of saffron in warm milk, mint, cilantro, lemon juice, ghee, salt.

How to make it: 1. Mix the raw meat with yogurt, pastes, chilies, spices, lemon juice, mint and half the crushed fried onions; rest overnight if you can. 2. Boil the soaked rice until 70 percent cooked and drain. 3. Spread the meat in a heavy pot, cover with rice, then saffron milk, ghee and onions. 4. Seal the pot and cook 10 minutes on medium heat, then 35 minutes on very low. 5. Gently fold from the side when serving so every plate gets both layers.

Biryani Recipes for a Crowd: Oven-Baked Sheet Pan Chicken Biryani

You do not need a field and a giant pot to make biryani recipes for a crowd. A large sheet pan in a hot oven does the job, giving you fluffy rice underneath and spiced chicken thighs with browned edges on top. It is a smart choice for holiday parties because you can marinate everything the night before and bake it while guests arrive. Bring it to a gathering next to your favorite potluck crowd-pleasers, and expect the pan to come back empty.

You will need: 3 lb boneless chicken thighs, 3 cups basmati rice, 1 cup yogurt, 3 tbsp biryani masala, 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste, 4 1/2 cups hot chicken broth, 1 cup fried onions, saffron milk, mint, cilantro, lemon wedges, 3 tbsp melted ghee, salt.

How to make it: 1. Marinate the chicken in yogurt, masala, paste and salt for at least 1 hour. 2. Heat the oven to 400 F and spread the rinsed rice in a large greased sheet pan. 3. Pour over the hot broth and saffron milk, then lay the chicken on top. 4. Cover tightly with foil and bake 35 minutes, then uncover and bake 15 minutes more. 5. Top with fried onions, mint, cilantro and lemon.

Pressure Cooker Chicken Biryani on a Busy Weeknight

When you want quick biryani recipes on a Tuesday, an electric pressure cooker is your best friend. Everything happens in one pot: you brown the onions, cook the spices, add the chicken and rice, and let the pressure do the work in about 6 minutes. The trick is using exactly the right amount of water, so the rice comes out fluffy instead of mushy. Like our cozy one-pot curry dinners, it is a meal that leaves you with only one pot to wash.

You will need: 1 1/2 lb boneless chicken thighs cut in chunks, 2 cups basmati rice soaked 20 minutes, 1/2 cup yogurt, 1 large onion sliced, 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste, 2 tbsp biryani masala, whole spices, 2 cups water, mint, cilantro, 2 tbsp ghee, salt.

How to make it: 1. On saute mode, fry the onion and whole spices in ghee until golden. 2. Add the paste, masala, chicken and yogurt and cook 5 minutes. 3. Scrape the bottom well, then add the drained rice and water without stirring. 4. Pressure cook on high for 6 minutes and let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. 5. Fluff gently with a fork and top with mint and cilantro.

Vegetable Biryani Packed With Peas, Carrots and Beans

Meat-free biryani recipes are just as festive. Vegetable biryani proves that this dish is about rice and spice as much as meat. Carrots, green beans, peas, potatoes and cauliflower soak up a spiced yogurt base and then steam with the rice, so every spoonful is colorful and fragrant. It is a great main dish for vegetarian guests, and it sits happily next to our hearty vegetarian dinners on a holiday table. A handful of fried cashews and raisins on top makes it feel festive.

You will need: 3 cups mixed vegetables (carrots, beans, peas, potatoes, cauliflower), 2 cups basmati rice, 1/2 cup yogurt, 1 onion sliced, 1 tomato chopped, 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste, 1 1/2 tbsp biryani masala, whole spices, mint, cilantro, saffron milk, 3 tbsp ghee, salt.

How to make it: 1. Fry the onion and whole spices in ghee, then add the paste, tomato and masala. 2. Stir in the vegetables and yogurt and cook 8 minutes until half tender. 3. Parboil the soaked rice and layer it over the vegetables. 4. Add saffron milk, mint and cilantro, cover tightly and cook 20 minutes on low. 5. Top with fried cashews and raisins.

Biryani Recipes Without Meat: Golden Mushroom Biryani

Mushrooms bring a meaty, savory bite to biryani without any meat at all. Searing them in a hot pan first is the key, because it gives them golden edges and keeps them from turning watery in the rice. Button and cremini mushrooms work well, and a few green peas add sweetness and color. If your crowd loves two-bite stuffed mushrooms at parties, this rice dish will be a hit at dinner too. Serve it with a cool cucumber raita.

You will need: 1 1/2 lb mushrooms halved, 2 cups basmati rice, 1/2 cup yogurt, 1 onion sliced, 1 cup green peas, 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste, 1 1/2 tbsp biryani masala, whole spices, mint, cilantro, toasted cashews, 3 tbsp ghee, salt.

How to make it: 1. Sear the mushrooms in a very hot pan in batches until golden and set aside. 2. Fry the onion and whole spices, then add paste, masala and yogurt. 3. Stir in the mushrooms and peas and cook 3 minutes. 4. Layer the parboiled rice on top with mint and cilantro. 5. Cover and cook 20 minutes on low, then add cashews before serving.

Egg Biryani, the Budget Favorite

Among all the biryani recipes in India, egg biryani is the everyday cousin of the big festive versions, and it is loved across India because it is cheap, fast and filling. Boiled eggs are lightly fried in spices until their surface turns golden and blistered, then buried in rice and masala. Kids usually go straight for the eggs, so make one or two extra. If you love eggs at parties, like our favorite deviled eggs, this is a fun way to put them at the center of dinner.

You will need: 8 boiled eggs, 2 cups basmati rice, 1 onion sliced, 2 tomatoes chopped, 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste, 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp chili powder, 1 1/2 tbsp biryani masala, 1/2 cup yogurt, mint, cilantro, 3 tbsp oil or ghee, salt.

How to make it: 1. Make shallow cuts on the eggs and fry them in a little oil with turmeric and chili until golden. 2. Fry the onion, then add paste, tomatoes, masala and yogurt and cook into a thick masala. 3. Add the eggs and coat them well. 4. Layer the parboiled rice on top with mint and cilantro. 5. Cover and steam 20 minutes on low.

Biryani Recipes From the Coast: Shrimp Biryani With Curry Leaves

Along the coasts of Kerala and Tamil Nadu, seafood biryani recipes are a weekend treat. Shrimp cook in minutes, which makes this one of the fastest biryanis you can make, as long as you add them at the right moment so they stay plump and juicy. A little coconut oil and curry leaves give it a true coastal flavor. Save any extra shrimp for easy shrimp party bites, or simply double the shrimp here, because this disappears fast.

You will need: 1 1/2 lb large shrimp peeled and deveined, 2 cups basmati rice, 1 onion sliced, 2 tomatoes chopped, 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste, 1 tsp turmeric, 1 1/2 tbsp biryani masala, a few curry leaves, 1/2 cup yogurt, mint, cilantro, 2 tbsp coconut oil or ghee, salt.

How to make it: 1. Toss the shrimp with turmeric, salt and half the masala. 2. Fry the onion and curry leaves, add paste, tomatoes, yogurt and remaining masala and cook until thick. 3. Stir in the shrimp for just 2 minutes. 4. Layer the parboiled rice on top with mint and cilantro. 5. Cover and steam 15 minutes on low.

Arabian Chicken Mandi-Style Spiced Rice

One of the family’s most watched videos is a giant mandi, a slow-roasted chicken and rice dish from Yemen that is now loved across the Arabian Peninsula and South India. The chicken is rubbed with a warm spice mix and roasted until tender, while the rice cooks in the chicken’s own flavorful broth. If you love collecting famous roast chicken methods, this one deserves a place on your list. Serve it on a big platter with a fresh tomato chutney for everyone to share.

You will need: 1 whole chicken cut in half, 2 cups basmati rice, 1 onion chopped, 2 tsp mandi spice mix (cumin, coriander, black pepper, cardamom, turmeric, dried lime), 4 cups chicken broth, 2 bay leaves, 3 tbsp ghee, toasted almonds, raisins, salt.

How to make it: 1. Rub the chicken with ghee, salt and the spice mix and rest 1 hour. 2. Simmer the chicken in the broth with bay leaves for 30 minutes, then roast it at 425 F for 25 minutes until golden. 3. Fry the onion, add the rice and 3 1/2 cups of the strained broth. 4. Cover and cook 18 minutes on low. 5. Serve the chicken over the rice with almonds and raisins.

Golden Pulao With Dried Fruit and Nuts

Pulao often sits next to biryani recipes in family cookbooks, and it is biryani’s gentler relative: the rice and flavorings cook together in one pot, so it is milder, lighter and quicker. This festive golden version, close to the Peshawari and Kashmiri styles, is scattered with almonds, cashews, raisins and dried apricots, which makes it perfect for holiday tables. Fans of buttery almond treats will love the toasted nuts here. You can read more about the long history of rice dishes like this on the biryani Wikipedia page.

You will need: 2 cups basmati rice soaked 30 minutes, 1/4 cup each almonds, cashews, raisins and chopped dried apricots, 1 onion sliced, whole spices (cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, bay leaf), a pinch of saffron in warm milk, 3 1/2 cups water or broth, 3 tbsp ghee, 1 tsp sugar, salt.

How to make it: 1. Fry the nuts and dried fruit in ghee until golden and set aside. 2. Fry the onion and whole spices in the same pot. 3. Add the drained rice and stir gently for 2 minutes. 4. Pour in the water, saffron milk, sugar and salt, bring to a boil, then cover and cook 15 minutes on low. 5. Fluff and top with the nuts and fruit.

Kabuli-Style Rice With Carrots and Raisins

Kabuli pulao is a national favorite in Afghanistan, and it looks spectacular: a mound of brown, spiced rice topped with sweet strips of caramelized carrot and plump raisins, hiding tender lamb or chicken inside. The sweet and savory mix is irresistible, and it is a beautiful centerpiece for a winter dinner party. Carrots are not just for carrot cake; slow-cooked in a little sugar and oil, they turn glossy and sweet. Serve it on your largest platter.

You will need: 1 1/2 lb lamb or chicken pieces, 2 cups basmati rice, 1 onion chopped, 2 large carrots cut in thin strips, 1/2 cup raisins, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp cumin, 1 tsp cardamom, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 4 cups water, 4 tbsp oil, salt.

How to make it: 1. Brown the onion and meat in oil, add water, spices and salt, and simmer 50 minutes. 2. In a small pan, cook the carrots with sugar and a little oil until glossy, then add the raisins for 1 minute. 3. Strain the broth and use 3 1/2 cups to cook the soaked rice with the meat. 4. Cover and cook 20 minutes on low. 5. Pile on a platter and top with the carrots and raisins.

Cucumber Raita and Kachumber Salad, the Perfect Sides

No biryani plate is complete without something cool and fresh beside it. Raita is a lightly salted yogurt sauce with grated cucumber, mint and roasted cumin, and kachumber is a crunchy chopped salad of cucumber, tomato and onion with lemon juice. Both take about ten minutes and balance the warm spices of the rice perfectly. They also make a lovely addition to a spread of Mediterranean share plates, next to hummus and flatbread.

You will need: For raita: 2 cups plain yogurt, 1 cucumber grated and squeezed, 1 tbsp chopped mint, 1/2 tsp roasted cumin powder, salt. For kachumber: 1 cucumber, 2 tomatoes, 1 small red onion, 1 green chili, cilantro, juice of 1 lemon, salt.

How to make it: 1. Whisk the yogurt until smooth and stir in the cucumber, mint, cumin and salt. 2. Chill the raita for at least 15 minutes. 3. Finely dice the cucumber, tomatoes, onion and chili for the salad. 4. Toss with cilantro, lemon juice and salt just before serving. 5. Serve both in small bowls beside the biryani.

Leftover Biryani Stuffed Peppers

Big-pot biryani recipes often mean leftovers, and the family’s way of making sure nothing goes to waste is a lesson worth copying. Leftover biryani makes a fantastic filling for bell peppers: it is already seasoned, so all you need is cheese and a quick bake. If you already love classic stuffed peppers, this spiced version will surprise you. Serve with a spoonful of yogurt sauce for a cozy next-day dinner that tastes completely new.

You will need: 4 bell peppers halved or tops cut off, 3 cups leftover biryani, 1/2 cup tomato sauce, 1 cup shredded mozzarella or paneer, cilantro, olive oil, 1/2 cup plain yogurt for serving.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 375 F and brush the peppers with oil. 2. Mix the leftover biryani with the tomato sauce. 3. Fill the peppers and place them in a baking dish with a splash of water. 4. Cover with foil and bake 25 minutes, then add cheese and bake uncovered 10 minutes more. 5. Top with cilantro and serve with yogurt.

Biryani Recipes Secret: Soak, Then Parboil the Rice to 70 Percent

Watch any expert biryani cook and you will notice two habits. First, they soak the basmati rice for about 30 minutes, which helps the long grains cook evenly without breaking. Second, they boil it in plenty of well salted water only until it is about 70 percent done, so it can finish cooking in the steam without turning soft. This simple matar pulao with peas shows the result: every grain separate and fluffy. For quick weeknight rice, our rice cooker recipes are handy too.

You will need: 2 cups aged basmati rice, cold water for soaking, 10 cups water for boiling, 1 1/2 tbsp salt, 1 bay leaf, 2 cardamom pods, 1 tsp oil or ghee, 1 cup green peas for a simple pulao.

How to make it: 1. Rinse the rice 3 to 4 times until the water runs almost clear. 2. Soak it in cold water for 30 minutes and drain. 3. Bring the water to a rolling boil with salt, bay leaf, cardamom and oil. 4. Add the rice and boil 5 to 6 minutes, until a grain breaks into 2 or 3 pieces when pressed. 5. Drain right away and use it for any of the biryani recipes above.