There’s nothing not to love about biryani: soft, long-grain basmati rice, tender chunks of meat, layered, warm spices (cardamom is usually key), and loads of ghee (clarified butter), all cooked in a pot over slow fire. On the surface, biryani can look like just a pot of steamed rice, as there’s no actual “sauce” involved; what makes it truly luxurious is the way that the ghee clings onto—and enriches—each grain of rice and morsel of meat, and the aroma of the whole spices (most of which are left in the biryani itself) that’s totally all-consuming when you initially lift the top off the dish. There are countless takes on biryani, some vegetarian, some finished with raisins, some with gold foil on top for extra pizzazz. The point is, you can’t go wrong, no matter what kind you get.
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