Dish · indian
Biryani
Basmati rice layered with meat or vegetables and a spice mix, cooked under a sealed lid so the rice finishes in steam scented by whatever sits beneath it. Each layer stays distinct rather than turning into a uniform pilaf.
Where it comes from
The dish's roots are disputed between Mughal court kitchens and the independent Deccan sultanates of South India, and both trace back to Persian rice-cooking traditions rather than a single inventor. Regional versions in Lucknow, Hyderabad, and Kolkata diverged over centuries.
What cooks argue about
The real fork is kacchi versus pakki: raw marinated meat sealed under part-cooked rice to finish together, against meat cooked separately first and layered in for a shorter, more forgiving steam.
Versions
Nobody has published a biryani here yet. When somebody cooks one from a video and publishes it, their version appears in this list, with a link back to the original.
What goes in it
Each one opens everything else made with it.
basmati rice
ghee