Share the love with a bowl of biryani

A biryani is a comfort food rice bowl, built with layers of flavour. Dive into Nadiya Hussain's budget-friendly celebration dish, traditional Hyderabadi styles and more.

Nadiya Hussain with her biryani with leek masala. Credit: Nadiya's Simple Spices

A rice dish with endless variations, biryani is the perfect dish for sharing, whether it's a small family gathering or a big celebration like Eid. From traditional versions from Hyderabad to a budget-friendly vegetarian biryani from Nadiya Hussain, we've got a beautiful range of options for you to explore.

Kachche gosht ki biryani

Kachche gosht ki biryani Credit: Adam Liaw

This warming dish, shared by Ajoy Joshi on The Cook Up with Adam Liaw, hails from Hyderabad, sometimes called the land of the biryani.  Diced goat is marinated in yoghurt and garam masala spices, and then cooked with premium basmati rice and an assortment of fresh herbs.

Sashi Chellah's chicken biryani

Chicken and tomato biryani Credit: Asia Unplated with Diana Chan

A little quicker than some recipes, this version features a flavoursome chicken masala, served with spiced tomato and cashew rice.

Prawn biryani and sweet yoghurt raita

Prawn biryani and sweet yoghurt raita Credit: Kitti Gould

A little short on time? Speed up your biryani cooking time by using a quick-cooking protein like prawns. In this version for Helly Raichura, a sweet yoghurt raita on the side provides a refreshing creamy contrast to the complex and bold flavours of the spiced biryani.

Nadiya Hussain’s crispy leek biryani

Nadiya Hussain with her biryani with leek masala. Credit: Nadiya's Simple Spices

"If you want a crowd pleaser on a budget, then this luxuriously spiced one-pot wonder is just for you," says Nadiya Hussain of her leek biryani, which she shares in Nadiya's Simple Spices. "Delicate basmati rice infused with heady whole spices, fragrant leek masala and topped with crisp, buttery leeks, my biryani is an epic dish with a difference."

Layered saffron rice and goat curry (bakra biryani)

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This biryani recipe is a marvellous creation of perfectly cooked goat, layered with rice, and scattered with tomato, coriander, mint leaves, chilli and almond.

Hyderabadi-style chicken biryani

Another fragrant dish that pays homage to the traditional Hyderabadi version, this one uses a whole chicken, cut into pieces, with the rice, chicken and spices cooked in an airtight pot on a very low flame, so the rice absorbs the rich flavours of the meat.

Clove, rose and mutton biryani

Cooked under a bread crust, this biryani can be served to the table for guests to break open. Dried rose petals are an optional part of the spice mix here, and the recipe can be made with mutton or lamb. Decorate with edible rose petals for a celebratory touch.

Lamb biryani with sarlas

Credit: Tammi Kwok

Marinating the lamb in yoghurt for at least an hour is part of the key to the success of this dish, a great one for feeding a crowd (it serves 8). Like many biryani dishes, there are a few steps involved in the preparation, but once it's all layered in the pan, it cooks away and can then be set out in the pan for serving, along with sarlas and lime pickle.