Biryanis & Pulav

Dum biryanis, fry biryanis and fragrant pulaos

• Mutton Yakhni Pulao · Uttar Pradesh. A gentle, aromatic pulao in the Awadhi and Mughlai tradition: mutton simmered in a fennel and coriander-scented stock, then the rice cooked in that golden yakhni until every grain is full of flavour.
• Chicken Pulao · Andhra Pradesh. The Andhra and Hyderabadi Sunday pulao: chicken simmered with green chillies, mint and whole spices, then the rice cooked right in it, with coconut milk for a softer, richer finish.
• Veg Pulao · Punjab. An everyday one-pot pulao of basmati, carrots, beans and peas cooked in ghee with whole spices, light enough for a weeknight and pretty enough for guests.
• Kolkata Chicken Biryani · Kolkata. Kolkata's gentle, perfumed biryani with Awadhi roots: mild chicken, golden potatoes and boiled eggs under long-grain rice scented with kewra, rose water, mace and saffron.
• Ambur Chicken Biryani · Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu's famous Arcot-style biryani: short-grain seeraga samba rice cooked right in a brick-red chicken masala built on soaked dried chilli paste, mint and plenty of shallots.
• Hyderabadi Goat Mughlai Biryani · Hyderabad. The royal kacchi biryani of the Nizams: raw goat marinated overnight with khoya, nut paste and birista, sealed under three stages of saffron rice and slow-cooked until meltingly tender.
• Fish Biryani · Kerala. Thick steaks of seer fish fried in a chilli-turmeric crust, nestled into a tomato and shallot masala and steamed under ghee rice with fried onions, cashews and raisins.
• Hyderabadi Vegetable Dum Biryani · Hyderabad. Carrots, beans, potato, cauliflower and peas marinated in spiced yogurt with birista and mint, then sealed under saffron rice in true Hyderabadi dum style.
• Paneer Dum Biryani · Hyderabad. Golden cubes of paneer in a creamy, mint-flecked yogurt masala, layered with saffron basmati and slow-steamed for a vegetarian biryani that feels like a feast.
• Chicken Fry Biryani · Telangana. Crisp, red, curry-leaf chicken fry tucked between layers of mint basmati, the way Hyderabad's late-night biryani joints serve it.
• Mutton Fry Biryani · Andhra Pradesh. The Andhra and Telangana restaurant favourite: fiery, curry-leaf-scented mutton fry layered with fragrant basmati and steamed on dum so the spice seeps into every grain.
• Jackfruit Biryani (Panasa Pottu) · Andhra Pradesh. Andhra's favourite meat-free biryani: chunks of raw jackfruit fried, marinated in a spicy yogurt masala and sealed under basmati until they turn meaty and tender.
• Hyderabadi Chicken Dum Biryani · Hyderabad. Kacchi-style marinated chicken under saffron basmati, sealed with dough and slow-cooked on dum until every grain smells of cardamom.