Bombay Biryani
بمبئی بریانی
Bombay biryani came to Karachi with families who migrated in 1947 and became one of the city's signature dishes. You know it by three things: big pieces of potato soaked through with masala, the sour-sweet tang of dried plums, and rice streaked bright orange and white. It is spicier and sharper than many biryanis, and the potatoes are, for many people, the best part. The method is the classic layered biryani with a long .
- ⏱ Total: 1 hr 45 min
- Prep: 30 min
- Cook: 1 hr 15 min
- Medium
- Serves 6
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Heat the oil in a large and fry the onions for 15 minutes until deep golden. Lift out half as . Fry the potatoes in the same oil for 6–8 minutes until golden on the outside, then lift them out too.
Add the chicken with the ginger and garlic paste and fry on high heat for 5 minutes, until it turns white.
Add the tomatoes, chili, turmeric, coriander, cumin and salt and do the until the tomatoes break down. Stir in the yogurt and cook for 8–10 minutes until the oil separates.
Return the potatoes to the pot with the plums, green chilies, garam masala and half the mint and coriander. Cover and cook on low heat for 10–12 minutes, until the chicken and potatoes are tender and the masala is thick.
Meanwhile, boil a large of water with the 3 tablespoons of salt, bay leaves and cardamom. Add the drained rice and boil for 6–8 minutes, until it reaches , then drain.
Layer half the rice over the chicken and potatoes, then the birista and remaining mint and coriander, then the rest of the rice. Drizzle the orange colour in streaks over the top and sprinkle with the kewra.
Seal the lid and cook on over the lowest heat for 15–20 minutes. Rest for 5 minutes, then mix gently from the sides.
Serve with raita and salad.
Kitchen notes
Frying the potatoes first gives them a skin that holds them together through the layering and dum.
Many Karachi homes use a ready-made Bombay biryani masala. If you do, skip the chili, coriander, cumin and garam masala and use the packet amount for 1 kg of chicken.
Saffron soaked in warm milk can replace the food colour for a more natural look.
A Karachi institution
In Karachi, Bombay biryani is everywhere: at weddings, at corner shops that sell it by the plate, and in homes on Sundays. The name comes from the city its recipe travelled from, but over seventy years Karachi has made it its own.
What makes it Bombay biryani
Potatoes. Large potato halves are fried until golden, then simmered in the masala, so they soak up the spice and tang. Frying them first stops them from falling apart.
Plums. Aloo bukhara, dried plums, give the masala a gentle sour-sweet flavour that balances the heat. Soak them for a few minutes so they plump up.
Colour and fragrance. Orange colour streaked over the top rice and a few drops of kewra water give it its look and its unmistakable smell when you open the pot.
The method
The steps are the classic biryani ones. Fry the onions to , cook the chicken with tomatoes and yogurt until the oil separates, and simmer it with the potatoes and plums. Boil the rice in salty water to , layer, seal, and cook on for 15–20 minutes.
Serving
Serve with kheera raita and kachumber salad. Leftovers reheat well in a covered pot with a sprinkle of water.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between Bombay biryani and Sindhi biryani?
They are close relatives. Sindhi biryani is usually hotter, with more green chilies and tomatoes; Bombay biryani is a little sweeter and more fragrant, with kewra and more plums.
Can I leave out the potatoes?
You can, but they're a defining part of Bombay biryani. Without them it's a regular chicken biryani with plums.
My potatoes broke during dum. Why?
They were cooked too long before layering. Fry them only until golden outside; they finish softening in the masala and on dum.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 610
- Protein
- 30 g
- Fat
- 24 g
- Carbs
- 72 g
