Kolkata Biryani

Name: Kolkata Biryani
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 130 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Indian (Westbengal)
Ingredients: Mutton (bone-in): 600g; Basmati rice: 350g, soaked 30 min; Potato: 250g, peeled whole, fried golden; Eggs: 2, hard-boiled, peeled; Yogurt: 150g; Fried onion (birista): 100g; Ginger-garlic paste: 2 tbsp; Ghee: 4 tbsp; Whole garam masala: cardamom 6, clove 6, cinnamon 2-inch, mace 1-inch, black cardamom 2; Saffron: large pinch in 4 tbsp warm milk; Kewra water: 2 tsp; Rose water: 1 tsp; Salt: 2 tsp; Ittar (musk attar): 1 drop (optional but traditional); Red chilli powder: 1 tsp; Coriander powder: 1 tsp; Potato is the Kolkata signature — it absorbs the biryani masala and is eaten first by children; Ittar (natural perfume) is the secret ingredient of authentic Kolkata biryani — one drop is enough; Do not open the dum lid before 35 min — steam is what finishes the rice; Serve with raita, salad and shami kebab

🍗 Non-veg🌾 Gluten-free📊 Hard

Awadhi-style dum biryani with fragrant mutton, whole fried potato, boiled egg and saffron-kewra scented rice — the iconic dinner of Kolkata's Nawabi culinary heritage.

⏱️40 minPrep

🔥90 minCook

🕒130 minTotal

🍽️4Serves

🧺 Ingredients

👩‍🍳 How to make Kolkata Biryani

Mix mutton with yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, half the birista, chilli, coriander, salt, half the whole garam masala.
Marinate 2 hours minimum.
In ghee, cook marinated mutton until 80% done — add minimal water only if drying.
Keep masala thick.
Boil rice in salted water with remaining whole spices.
Drain at 60% cooked.
In heavy pot: mutton + masala → fried potato + boiled eggs → rice → birista → saffron milk → kewra + rose water → ghee drizzle.
If using ittar, one drop on the rice.
Seal lid tightly.
Cook on lowest possible heat 35 min.
Rest 10 min sealed before opening.

📖 Cultural notes

|---|---|---|---|---| | 700 kcal | 38g | 72g | 28g | 3g | Kolkata Biryani is perhaps India's most distinctive biryani — lighter in spice than Hyderabadi, more fragrant than Delhi-style. It was created in the kitchen of Nawab Wajid Ali Shah's retinue after 1856. The iconic Arsalan, Shiraz and Royal Indian Hotel biryani shops of Kolkata attract queues every evening. For millions of Kolkatans, biryani IS dinner — the complete meal. ---

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