How to Cook Basmati Rice for Biryani - Today sharing step by step biryani rice recipe that will help to make perfectly cooked biryani rice in your home kitchen. Watch the recipe tutorial to get an idea to cook rice grain before making biryani layer and then cook biryani on steam (dum).
I tried to make this post easy as I want to help beginners to prepare perfectly cooked biryani at home. Cooking Rice is the most essential part to make perfect biryani as you eat in restaurants and weddings. I will share most of the related issues that will help to cook rice grain for biryani. Little tips can help you to make perfect biryani so let's prepare step by step.
First of all, start with selecting the best biryani rice. Many people ask about it so let's delve into it..
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What Rice is used?
Preferably long-grain rice called 'Basmati rice' is mostly used to make biryani. It is tasty, presentable due to its long-grain (8.4mm), and aromatic. When you cook high-quality basmati rice the whole house will be aromatic and it's actually a rice fragrance. Easily available in Pakistan, India, and Nepal as it grows there. It's a little expensive as compare to other rice.
Basmati rice comprised of higher protein, carbs, and calories and low in fiber.
I personally use Basmati rice to cook biryani. It's simple, easy, and gives a perfect taste of biryani rice.
Traditionally, many chefs also used 'Sela rice' for biryani. Some people also use golden sela basmati rice. It's a cultivar of basmati rice that has been parboiled or partially boiled so the rice shows golden yellowish color.
How long should you soak rice?
It's recommended to soak rice for 10 to 30 minutes in deep filled water. Don't soak for too long otherwise, the rice will break and become mushy. Before soaking, rinse the rice properly with tap water. Then fill the bowl with water so the rice will soak properly. After soaking, just drain the water and add rice in hot boiling water. Avoid washing rice after soaking otherwise the rice will break.
How long should you boil rice?
It's necessary to add soak rice in hot boiling water. Give it a gentle stir and boil for a minimum of 3 minutes on high heat so the rice grain will be properly soft and fluffy. After 3 minutes, check the rice grain. It needs to be 80% done for biryani rice. If the rice will cook for a long time then it becomes mushy and makes the biryani sticky.
Best Tip to Cook Basmati Rice
Here I am sharing the quick and easy tip that will always help you to make perfect biryani rice. So if you have complained that your biryani rice is mushy or sticky then just follow this tip to get the best taste of biryani.
- Always boil rice when it's 80% done.
- You can check rice grain by hand so it needs to be a little hard before draining water.
- The rest of the 20% will be done on steaming.
Biryani Rice Recipe
Ingredients:
- Rice - 2 Cups
- Water (For Soaking & Boiling)
- Bay Leaves - 2
- Cumin Seeds - 1 tsp
- Cloves - 5
- Black Pepper - 10
- Cinnamon - 3" 1 stick
- Aniseed - 1
- Cardamom - 5
- Oil - 2 Tsp
- Salt - 1.5 Tsp
Method:
- Rice Soaking: Take 2 Cups of Biryani rice.
- Wash properly using tap water.
- Soak the rice: Deep filled the rice bowl with water for 10 minutes. (don't soak for long time).
- Boil the Rice: Now fill a pan with water and boil the water to 100%.
- Add bay leaves, cumin, cloves, black pepper, cinnamon, aniseed, and cardamom in water.
Drizzle little oil. - Cover the pan and boil water for 10 minutes so the taste of the whole garam masala enriches the taste in water.
- Now drain water of soaked rice and add rice in hot boiling water.
- Add salt and gently stir with a spoon.
- Now cover the pan and cook rice for 3 minutes so it gets fluffy. We need to cook rice 80% rest will be cooked on steam.
- After 3 minutes, check the rice with a hand. It needs to be 20% hard.
- Carefully drain water.
- Layering: Now rice is ready to make a biryani layer.
- Follow the video tutorial to make layers in biryani.
- Steaming: After layering, properly cover the lid and cook biryani on high heat for 2 minutes then turn the heat to low for 20 minutes so it gets perfect steam (dum).
- After that, the biryani will be ready to serve.
How can I make rice not sticky?
If your biryani is getting sticky then follow few points before making:
- Use good quality rice.
- Never soak rice for a long time
- Properly monitor the rice cooking time.
- Make sure to properly drain water when the rice is 80% done.
- Never keep your biryani on steam for too long.
If you follow these points then your biryani will be nonsticky and rice will not clutter.
What should I do if rice is not cooked or hard?
In this case, just splash a little water on the sides of the biryani pan and properly cover it with the lid. Initially keep the temperature high then turn to low. In this way, biryani will get the steam (Dum) and will be perfectly cooked.
Why the rice are mushy?
Biryani gets mushy due to water retention. Make sure to drain 100% water from boiled rice. When layering then make sure the curry should not be watery. If it is then evaporate the water. Never steam for a long time.
How do you fix overcooked biryani?
If the biryani rice is overcooked, sticky, or mushy then follow these points:
- If your rice is overcooked then drain water. Keep the rice at room temperature to cool down. In this way, rice grain will be a little hard and will not clutter.
- When adding curry to overcooked rice, then make sure the curry is not watery. If it is then evaporate the water on high heat.
- If biryani rice is overcooked after getting steam, then release the heat and turn it to room temperature. Open the lid of pan. Room air will work to harden the rice grain. As it comes down to room temperature then mix your biryani. In this way, you can fix overcooked rice to remain in shape.
Video Recipe
It's simple and easy to make biryani rice just need a little precaution and tips to boil rice before making a biryani layer. Here is step by step easy way how to cook biryani rice perfectly at home. If your biryani rice is mushy or sticky then watch the video to make the best biryani at home. Super easy for beginners, bachelors, and housewives to make perfect biryani rice at home kitchen. Watch the tutorial to follow quick steps!
How to Cook Basmati Rice for Biryani (Video)
Materials
- Rice – 2 Cups
- Water For Soaking & Boiling
- Bay Leaves – 2
- Cumin Seeds – 1 tsp
- Cloves – 5
- Black Pepper – 10
- Cinnamon – 3″ 1 stick
- Aniseed – 1
- Cardamom – 5
- Oil – 2 Tsp
- Salt – 1.5 Tsp
Instructions
- Rice Soaking: Take 2 Cups of Biryani rice.
- Wash properly using tap water.
- Soak the rice: Deep filled the rice bowl with water for 10 minutes. (don’t soak for long time).
- Boil the Rice: Now fill a pan with water and boil the water to 100%.
- Add bay leaves, cumin, cloves, black pepper, cinnamon, aniseed, and cardamom in water.
- Drizzle little oil.
- Cover the pan and boil water for 10 minutes so the taste of the whole garam masala enriches the taste in water.
- Now drain water of soaked rice and add rice in hot boiling water.
- Add salt and gently stir with a spoon.
- Now cover the pan and cook rice for 3 minutes so it gets fluffy. We need to cook rice 80% rest will be cooked on steam.
- After 3 minutes, check the rice with a hand. It needs to be 20% hard.
- Carefully drain water.
- Layering: Now rice is ready to make a biryani layer.
- Follow the video tutorial to make layers in biryani.
- Steaming: After layering, properly cover the lid and cook biryani on high heat for 2 minutes then turn the heat to low for 20 minutes so it gets perfect steam (dum).
- After that, the biryani will be ready to serve.
Video
Notes
You can check rice grain by hand so it needs to be a little hard before draining water.
The rest of the 20% will be done on steaming.
When layering then make sure the curry should not be watery. If it is then evaporate the water. Never steam for a long time.
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Quick & Easy Biryani rice recipe that will help to make perfect biryani at home...