My mother's Hyderabadi biryani (Dum ka biryani)

Biryani has a long history in Hyderabad. Some dishes were made of rice with spices before the Mughals arrived. The oldest traces are to the Bahmani Sultanate and the Qutb Shahi rulers in Golconda. These dishes were similar to the pilafs of the Persian and Turkish courts.

The rule of the Nizams in 1724, during the reign of Asaf Jah I, introduced "dum cooking", a technique wherein the pot is sealed and the food is cooked slowly, on a low flame, in its own steam. The royal house favoured this cooking technique and became popular.

Hyderabadi biryanis can be broadly divided into two main categories: raw (kacchi) biryanis and cooked (pakki) biryanis. In kacchi biryani, raw meat is layered with parboiled rice and slow-cooked for hours. In pakki biryani, the meat is cooked in a korma and then layered into the rice.

Hyderabadi biryani has about 30 variants, though most of these are getting lost today. The influences in the dish are tremendous from the various cultures that make up Hyderabad. They include Nawabi cuisine, which provides for dried fruits and nuts, basmati rice and saffron. The Telengana and Andhra influences are tamarind, green chillies, cilantro, short-grain rice (like sona masoori) and more spiced "masala" in general. The Telengana biryanis are spicier and bolder as compared to the subtlety of the Nizami biryanis.

This is a traditional Nizami biryani from our family. The recipe has come down through the generations. However, I have taken the liberty of making a few changes to it to suit my palate. The most important thing is that the rice is cooked with saffron, giving it a lovely yellow colour and strong aroma. This is in contrast to the minuscule saffron milk that is usually sprinkled over the biryani before the dum; I find it has little to no effect on the dish. In addition, I add the nuts and raisins, which my family does not use.

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Ingredients: For the meat korma:

4 tablespoons oil

2 large onions + 1 large onion, sliced

2 tablespoons ginger garlic paste

1 tablespoon mild chilli powder, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 1/2 lb bone-in mutton, I usually use half mutton chops and the rest bone-in meat

Salt, to taste

1 cop full-fat yoghurt

8 cups of water

For the rice:

1 tablespoon ghee

2-inch cinnamon stick

1 bay leaf

8 green cardamom pods

6 whole cloves

1/2 teaspoon royal cumin seeds (shah jeera)

A generous pinch of saffron

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups long-grain basmati rice

Water, as needed

Fried onions (from above)

1/4 cup fried cashew nuts and pistachios combined, lightly fried in ghee

2 tablespoons raisins, lightly fried in ghee (optional)

Add the meat to the marinade ingredients, without water, and mix well. Marinate in the fridge overnight.

To make the korma, heat the oil in a large pot. Add the onions and fry on medium heat until they are caramelised to a light golden colour. Remove 1/4 of the fried onions, drain the oils back into the pot, and then drain them on paper towels.

Add the marinated meat to the onions and cook for 12-15 minutes, stirring often. The oils must pool in small bubbles around the masala. Stir often, coating the meat in the spices until the meat is cooked on all sides.

Add the water and mix well. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 1/2-1 3/4 hours until the meat is very soft, so it should part from the bone easily and crush between your fingers. The curry should become very thick, clinging to the meat heavily. The oils should have been released from the water and be seen in large pools. Set aside to cool.

To make the rice, heat the ghee in a pot on low heat. Add the cinnamon, bay leaf, cardamom, cloves, and cumin and stir fry for 30 seconds until the cumin has turned a shade darker. Add the saffron and salt and stir well. Add the rice and fry for 3-4 minutes until the rice turns white.

Add the water, usually to the first joint on your index finger and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, fluffing the rice gently every 5 minutes. You want to be gentle so you do not break the rice grains, especially towards the end of the cooking time. At the 20-minute mark, the rice will be cooked through but still have a light bite. Open and allow to dry; it may still be a bit wet, but that is okay. Fluff gently with a spatula, breaking up any lumps.

Remove the meat from the pot, but do not rinse it. Add 1/3 of the rice to the bottom and flatten slightly. Add the meat back on top and layer evenly. Add the remaining 2/3 of the meat on top and flatten lightly. Add 1/2 cup of water. Seal the biryani tightly. I usually cover the pot with a layer of foil and then seal the lid tightly. The biryani can be kept like this for a day.

When you are ready to serve the biryani, bring the pot back to room temperature if chilled. Heat in the oven at 300 °F for 30 minutes with the lid very tightly sealed. Alternatively, warm on very low heat on the stove for 20 minutes undisturbed.

Unseal the pot at the table, allowing the steam to escape for the guests. Serve in a wide bowl, garnished with fried onions and nuts, and accompanied by a side of raita. I served it with the Spiced yoghurt with eggplant and Mirchi ka salan.