Photo: Subhrajyoti07 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Uttarpradesh · Lunch

Lucknowi Biryani

Traditional 1. Lucknowi Biryani recipe

🧺 Ingredients

• Basmati rice (aged): 400g
• Mutton, bone-in pieces: 800g
• Ghee: 120ml
• Onions, thinly sliced: 200g
• Yogurt (full-fat): 150ml
• Saffron strands: 0.75g
• Water for saffron: 40ml
• Ginger-garlic paste: 20g
• Green chilies, minced: 4
• Fresh mint leaves: 15g
• Fresh coriander leaves: 15g
• Kewra water (screw pine extract): 10ml (optional)
• Salt: 10g
• Water for rice: 700ml
• Green cardamom: 5
• Black cardamom: 2
• Cinnamon sticks: 2 (each 4cm)
• Cloves: 5
• Mace: 1
• Bay leaves: 2
• Black peppercorns: 8
• Color: Light golden throughout, not dark
• Aroma: Fragrant with spices, saffron, and ghee

👩‍🍳 How to make Lucknowi Biryani

1. Soak saffron in 40ml warm water 30 minutes until strands soften and water turns golden
2. Soak basmati rice 30 minutes, then drain
3. Prepare biryani masala: toast all whole spices dry in a pan 2-3 minutes until aromatic
4. Marinate mutton: mix yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, green chilies, salt, and half the toasted spices; coat meat evenly
5. Cover marinating meat, let sit 45 minutes
6. Heat ghee in heavy pot at medium-high; add onions and fry 7-8 minutes until deep golden-brown and crispy
7. Remove 60ml fried onions to a bowl; keep 60ml in pot
8. Add marinated meat with gravy to remaining onions in pot
9. Cook meat 15-18 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until meat is 70% cooked
10. In separate pot, bring 700ml water to boil, add remaining whole spices and salt
11. Add soaked rice to boiling water, stir gently once
12. Cook 8-9 minutes until rice is 70% cooked (still slightly firm), drain
13. In the pot with meat, spread partially cooked rice evenly as a layer
14. Sprinkle 30ml melted ghee over rice
15. Pour saffron milk and kewra water over rice layer
16. Sprinkle reserved crispy onions on top
17. Scatter mint and coriander leaves
18. Cover pot tightly (use foil under lid if needed)
19. Place on medium heat 2 minutes to create initial steam, then reduce to low
20. Cook covered 30-35 minutes until rice is fully cooked
21. Turn off heat, rest covered 5 minutes

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