Originating in India, biryani encompasses a mouthwatering mix of fragrant basmati rice, tender meat or vegetables and exotic spices. As you take your first bite on your India Trip, the blend of flavors excites your taste buds like never before.
Biryani lovers know there’s no one definitive recipe for this iconic dish. In fact, you will come across 12 regional variants of biryani in India, each with its own distinct taste, aromas and cooking style.
Let us take you on a culinary journey across India to discover the wide variety of biryanis waiting for you to try. By the end, you’ll be yearning to visit all these states with the Best Tours and Travels Company India and tantalize your taste buds with exotic biryanis. Let’s begin!
12 Biryanis of India You Must Try on Your India Tour
1). Lucknowi Biryani – Perfect Biryani for Your Luxury North India Tour
The regal Lucknowi biryani of Uttar Pradesh is fit for royalty. It stands apart for its lovely saffron hue, generous use of spices, and delicate aromatic flavors.
Meat marinated in saffron and sandalwood infused milk is layered with saffron rice and dum cooked. The biryani is subtly spiced, but the aromatic spices still pack a punch. Saffron, cardamom, kewra and mace add enticing fragrance while the silky textures delight your taste buds!
2). Ambur Biryani – A Must-Try during Your South India Holiday Package Trip
Ambur in Tamil Nadu is famed for its spicy, aromatic biryani loaded with chicken or mutton pieces. Fiery red in color from the liberal use of chilies, Ambur biryani packs quite a punch. The rice is cooked separately from the meat in true Dum style, then layered and cooked on dum together to fuse the flavors. With your first bite, you’ll savor the nutty basmati rice contrasted by the pungent spices. When you book your South India Tour, do add this Biryani to your to-eat list. But, be warned – Ambur biryani is not for the faint-hearted!
3). Malabar Biryani – Don’t Miss This on Your Kerala Tour
Down south in Kerala, don’t miss the authentic Malabar biryani – slow cooked to perfection with succulent chicken, aromatic spices and coconut milk. The delicate coconut flavor permeates through the light, fluffy grains. Chicken is marinated in a mélange of yogurt, spices, and coconut milk for tenderness. This biryani is mildly spiced, striking the right balance between coconut, spices and chicken. Make it a point to try this Biryani when you are on your Kerala Tour Package trip!
4). Handi Biryani – Enjoy This During Madhya Pradesh India Train Tour
Handi biryani is a gem of a biryani hailing from the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh. Cooked in a handi (a clay pot), the biryani derives its distinctive flavor from the pot’s porous walls that impart an earthen aroma and taste. The rice and succulent mutton absorb these earthy flavors, making the biryani incredibly aromatic. Its complex blend of spices cooked on dum makes the flavors simply phenomenal. For a royal biryani experience with an earthen twist, handi biryani is a must-try!
5). Kolkata Biryani – West Bengal’s Famous Dish!
In contrast to other biryanis, Kolkata biryani from West Bengal uses potatoes instead of meat. Meat is substituted with large cubes of potato and eggs, making this biryani absolutely delicious for vegetarians too. The light handi biryani has a lovely aroma from spices like nutmeg, cardamom, cloves and mace. Both meat lovers and vegetarians alike can’t get enough of this biryani!
6). Bohri Biryani – A Hidden Gem to Savor on Your Best India Tour
The Bohri community of Maharashtra serves up biryani with a difference. This mouthwatering Bohri biryani uses flavorful mutton or chicken chunks. Spiced mutton/chicken is cooked separately from saffron and kewra scented rice, then layered artistically in a handi. The aromas entice you even before your first morsel. Dive into the perfect blend of smoky, earthy mutton and fragrant rice flavored with cardamom and cloves.
7). Hyderabadi Biryani – World Famous Biryani of India!
No discussion on biryani is complete without the iconic Hyderabadi biryani from Telangana. This world-famous biryani boasts the perfect blend of basmati rice, aromatic spices and succulent meat. Tender mutton chunks are marinated in yogurt and spices overnight to absorb the flavors. Layered in a handi with saffron rice and dum cooked, the biryani is finally topped with caramelized onions and served. The hypnotizing aromas and finger-licking flavors make Hyderabadi biryani a must-try on your Southern Grandeur Tour Package trip!
8). Memoni Biryani – Relish This Culinary Delight
Memoni biryani was born in Gujarat within the Memon community. This biryani is cooked in the dum style, but with potatoes added along with meat or chicken. The potato pieces absorb the biryani flavors beautifully. Slow cooking the meal on firewood lends an irresistible smoky taste too. Generous doses of ghee, yogurt, fried onions and mint further enhance the biryani making it the perfect Gujarati Biryani to relish!
9). Dindigul Biryani – Tamil Nadu
Fiery and spicy, Dindigul biryani from Tamil Nadu is not for the faint-hearted. What makes it so spicy is the liberal dose of pepper used along with chilies and other spices. Small grains of jeera samba rice are cooked with chicken pieces and pepper until each grain is coated with heat and flavor. The slow dum cooking retains all the heat within the biryani. Take a deep breath and dive into this volcanic biryani on your South India tour package trip!
10). Thalassery Biryani – Kerala
If you love seafood, try the exotic Thalassery biryani from Kerala flavored with succulent prawns, chicken, spices, and creamy coconut milk. The biryani uses the region’s signature short-grained rice known as kaima rice or jeerakasala. Slow cooking the rice and seafood dum style infuses the flavors deeply. Thalassery biryani strikes the perfect balance between tangy, spicy, creamy and aromatic tastes that linger long after your meal.
11). Tahari Biryani – Relish Tantalizing Biryani of Bihar on North India Tours!
Unlike other biryanis, Tahari biryani from Bihar uses lemon juice and curd as its key ingredients instead of yogurt. Chicken or mutton pieces are marinated in curd and lemon juice to tenderize before layering with parboiled rice and cooking dum style. The tangy flavors offset the spices beautifully. What’s more, Tahari biryani uses potatoes too which soak up delicious flavors. This easy, home-style biryani is immensely satisfying.
12). Beary Biryani – Delicious Karnataka Biryani You Must Try!
Coastal Karnataka’s Beary biryani boasts an enticing blend of spicy, sour and peppery flavors. The fiery chili and black pepper marinade add spiciness while tamarind and coriander lend tang and freshness. Generous amounts of ghee and fried onions add richness as well. Beary biryani uses the area’s local red short-grained rice known as kundapura sannana for great texture and taste. Don’t miss this zesty, peppery biryani!
By now, your mouth must be watering at the thought of diving into India’s incredible range of aromatic, flavorful biryani varieties waiting for you. This list covers just a few of the biryanis you’ll find across India, with many more regional variants still to uncover. So, why wait? Let this guide help you reach the zenith of Biryani experiences. Want to book the best India Tour packages where you can relish all these Biryanis and amazing places of India? Simply connect with India by Car and Driver experts today!