biryani masala recipe

Biryani Masala is a flavorful blend of ground spices used in preparing Biryani, rice and meat or vegetable preparation which is layered. This recipe ensures you cook your own Biryani Masala that is quite flavorful, simple to prepare and economic to make. The ground spices are best when freshly ground – you simply cannot compare it to anything you can buy at the supermarket.

About Biryani Masala

Depending on the types of meat used or for a non-meat Biryani, this homemade Biryani Masala is suitable for all forms of biryanis.

In addition to biryanis it can be effectively used in korma dishes, meat pilaf, and curries. It does not require much to add this enhanced aroma to the dish and make it even tastier.

Although most people prefer to use Biryani Masala that they can purchase from stores, most of these brands contain additives, and artificial flavors. Spices such as fried onions usually lend the blend a rancid smell; those used for creating kewra flavouring, biryani essence, msg, and citric acid used for shelf stability reduce its originality.

When preparing your own Biryani Masala mixture you are able to decide the different measurements of each spice and alter the taste. Also, you are able to choose between premium or organic spices for that authentic and nutritious flavor.

Biryani Masala vs. Garam Masala

If you want Biryani Masala and Garam Masala to be different then it is all in the flavor and the ingredients used. In regard with Biryani Masala, Garam Masala is milder than Biryani Masala in terms of flavor and intensity of aroma.

It should also be noted the combinations of spices that are used in these blends also differ. Biryani Masala consists of such ingredients as shahi jeera or caraway seeds and dagad phool or the stone flower Kalpasi which is not present in Garam Masala.

ent, as in caraway seeds that are similar in appearance to cumin, but are much thinner, darker, and longer in shape. These slight differences help Biryani Masala have a taste and smell that makes it a must-have for any dish that wants to be known as Biryani.

For instance, about a third of the Garam Masala is constituted by coriander seeds, which has a milder taste, to compliment the stark-tasting spices used.

Some cooks may omit nutmeg, mace, fennel seeds and star anise from their Garam Masala, however all these ingredients are integral to Biryani Masala and form part of its depth of flavor. These additional spices cause the difference and make Biryani Masala to be different and more complicated than Garam Masala.

My Recipe

Should you decide to attempt my recipe, let me please encourage you to read through the Ingredients & Substitutes section. Here, you will find out what can be substituted and if it is profitable to do so.

It is also important to note that, as it will be seen when putting together the ingredients, my recipe does not contain dried red chilies or cumin seeds as most market purchases do. invalid spices are generally composed of cheap fillers since the aromatic spices cost comparatively higher most of the time, large amounts of dried red chilies are used.

So, if it is not possible for you then you can skip dagad phool, which is otherwise also called kalpasi or pathar phool in Indian languages. It is required in Hyderabadi Biryani as well as in most South Indian meat masala recipes but it is not an essential spice that its complete omittance can have major repercussions.

Indeed for the past two years I have experienced challenges in sourcing this spice particularly from Singapore hence am not using it in the photo hustle for the following step-by-step method for this dish.

Storage Tips for Homemade Biryani Masala

This homemade Biryani Masala can be stored in the freezer for up to 1 year and in the refrigerator for 6 months. You can also store it at room temperature for 2 months, though its freshness may diminish over time.

For freezing, preserve the scent and flavor by using an airtight, freezer-safe jar. For other storage options, the best choice is simply a standard glass container to keep the spice mixture dry and away from moisture.

How to Make Biryani Masala 

Preparation

1. Begin by measuring and cleaning all the spices listed below. Carefully remove any stones, chaffs, or impurities to ensure a smooth, aromatic blend.

Ingredients

• Bay leaves: 1 to 3

• Star anise: 2 to 3 (4 grams, also called biryani flower or chakri phool)

• Green cardamom: 15 pods (3 grams, elaichi)

• Black cardamom: 2 to 3 pods (3 grams, masala elaichi or badi elaichi)

• Ceylon cinnamon: 5 to 6 pieces (2 inches each, 5 grams, dalchini)

• Cloves: 1 tablespoon (6 to 7 grams, lavang)

• Fennel seeds: 1½ tablespoon (12 grams, saunf; reduce to 1½ teaspoons if you prefer a milder flavor)

• Peppercorns: 1 teaspoon (3 grams, kali mirch)

• Coriander seeds: ½ cup (18 grams, sabut daniya)

• Shahi jeera: 2 tablespoons (16 grams, caraway seeds)

• Mace: 1 piece (2 grams, javitri; the membrane covering one nutmeg—refer to notes)

• Nutmeg: 1½ teaspoon (grated or crushed, 1½ to 2 grams, jaiphal)

• Stone flowers: 3 medium-sized pieces (optional, also called kalpasi or dagad phool)

Step 2: Preparing Cinnamon

This is a close-up view of the Ceylon cinnamon. Break the sticks into 2-inch pieces and lightly clean them using a tissue from the kitchen to remove any dust or impurities.

It is essential to use Ceylon cinnamon, which is also called True cinnamon for its delicate and authentic flavor. Cassia cinnamon must not be used because of the far coarser and harsher taste, which may shift the flavor profile of your Biryani Masala.

Step 3: Roast the Spices

To enhance their flavor and aroma, we’ll dry roast some of the spices individually, as each has a different roasting time. Larger spices can be roasted together.

Roasting Coriander Seeds

1. On medium heat, add the coriander seeds to a pan and dry roast them until they turn light brown and become crunchy. Be careful not to burn them.

2. Stir continuously to ensure even roasting.

Cooling the Spices

3. Transfer the roasted coriander seeds to a large tray placed on a cooking rack. This setup prevents the tray or spices from sweating while they cool, maintaining their crispness.

Using a nut cracker, or a mortar and pestle, crack the nutmeg in half for better effectiveness. Put half of this (about 1 ½ to 2 gm) into the pan with cinnamon, mace, star anise, black cardamoms and a bay leaf. Slide the spices, for about 3 minutes, over medium heat until a rich aroma is produced through roasting. Transfer them to a tray.

Add the cloves, black pepper, and green cardamoms to the pan. Dry roast them over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or until they release a pleasant aroma. Then, transfer them to the tray.

Dry roast the fennel seeds over medium heat for about 3 minutes, or until their floral aroma becomes noticeable. Transfer them to the tray.

Dry roast the caraway seeds over low to medium heat until they release a fragrant aroma. Take extra care, as they can burn quickly. Once done, transfer them to the tray.

If you are including additional spices such as dried red chilies or dagad phool, dry roast them until they release a strong, pungent aroma. Allow all the roasted spices to cool completely.

Place all the cooled roasted spices into a grinder jar.

Grind the roasted spices into a fine powder, as finely as possible. To avoid overheating the grinder, grind in short intervals, allowing it to rest for a few minutes between each session.

I prefer to sieve the biryani masala, but this step is optional. Use a sieve or a fine strainer to separate any coarse particles. Avoid using a flour sieve, as the masala doesn’t need to be extremely fine—a fine strainer works perfectly.

You may notice some coarse particles remaining after sieving (around 12 grams in my case). These can be ground again, or you can store them separately. I often add half a teaspoon of these to my chai while boiling. The coarse bits are typically from fennel, coriander, and star anise, which are fine to discard if you prefer.

After sieving, you’ll notice a significant difference—the biryani masala becomes much finer in texture.

Store the biryani masala in an airtight glass jar to keep it fresh. Use it as needed in your biryani and meat dishes.

Chicken biryani recipe