Kuwaiti Biryani Rice Flavor (Printable)

A fragrant, layered dish with marinated meat, aromatic spices, and saffron-infused basmati baked to perfection.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meat Marinade

01 - 2 lbs bone-in chicken pieces or lamb, cut into serving sizes
02 - 1 cup plain yogurt
03 - 2 tablespoons lemon juice
04 - 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
05 - 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
06 - 1½ teaspoons ground cumin
07 - 1½ teaspoons ground coriander
08 - 1 teaspoon chili powder
09 - 1 teaspoon garam masala
10 - 1½ teaspoons salt

→ Rice

11 - 3 cups basmati rice
12 - 5 cups water
13 - 1 tablespoon salt
14 - 2 tablespoons ghee or unsalted butter
15 - 4 whole cloves
16 - 4 green cardamom pods
17 - 2-inch cinnamon stick
18 - 1 bay leaf

→ Biryani Assembly

19 - 2 large onions, thinly sliced
20 - 3 tablespoons ghee or vegetable oil
21 - ½ cup fresh coriander leaves, chopped
22 - ¼ cup fresh mint leaves, chopped
23 - ¼ cup raisins (optional)
24 - ¼ cup slivered almonds or cashews, toasted
25 - Pinch of saffron threads, soaked in 3 tablespoons warm milk
26 - ¼ cup fried onions (for garnish)
27 - Additional salt, to taste

# How to Make It:

01 - Combine yogurt, lemon juice, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric, cumin, coriander, chili powder, garam masala, and salt in a large bowl. Add the meat and coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
02 - Rinse basmati rice under cold water until water runs clear. Soak in cold water for 30 minutes, then drain.
03 - Bring water and salt to a boil in a large pot. Add rice, cloves, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, and bay leaf. Cook for 6 to 7 minutes until rice is about 70% cooked. Drain and set aside.
04 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat ghee or oil in a large ovenproof pot over medium heat. Add sliced onions and sauté, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and caramelized, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove half of the onions for garnish.
05 - Add marinated meat to pot with remaining onions. Sear for 5 to 7 minutes. Cover and cook on low heat until tender: 20 to 25 minutes for chicken or 35 to 40 minutes for lamb. Add water as needed to prevent drying.
06 - Sprinkle half of the chopped coriander, mint, raisins, and toasted nuts over the cooked meat. Layer half the parboiled rice on top. Repeat with remaining herbs, raisins, nuts, and finish with remaining rice.
07 - Drizzle saffron-infused milk evenly over the top layer of rice. Dot with ghee or butter.
08 - Cover the pot tightly with foil and lid. Bake in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes.
09 - Let stand for 10 minutes. Gently fluff with a fork and garnish with fried onions before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Every bite is a complete meal—tender meat, fragrant rice, and crispy fried onions all singing together.
  • It looks like you spent all day cooking, but you'll have it on the table in under two hours.
  • Your kitchen will smell so incredible that people start arriving before you've even fluffed the rice.
02 -
  • Don't skip the parboiling step or rush it—70% cooked is the magic number that keeps each grain separate in the final dish.
  • If you smell burning onions instead of sweet caramelization, you've gone too hot and too fast; turn the heat down and give yourself permission to take your time.
  • The rest after baking matters more than you'd think; it lets the rice absorb all those flavors and makes fluffing it actually possible.
03 -
  • Use a Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid and seal it with foil underneath—this traps the steam that actually cooks and flavors the rice.
  • If your oven runs hot or cool, adjust the temperature and check around the 25-minute mark to make sure nothing's burning on the bottom.
  • Day-old biryani, reheated gently in the oven with a splash of water, often tastes even better than the day you made it.
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