5 Secret Ingredients For Restaurant-Worthy Biryani At Home

A classic biryani is a celebratory meal perfect for serving at the heart of the family table. Made with layers of steamed rice and aromatic lamb that's been simmered in a spicy masala until tender, this South Asian extravaganza is an all-in-one-meal. Plus, its vibrant orange color, inviting aroma, and spicy taste lend it a glorious vibe that's both delectable and satisfying. However, if you want your biryani to be more Michelin-material than made-at-home, we've got your back. 

We spoke to Varun Inamdar, chef and owner of New Light in Kashmir, Anokhi in Shanghai, and 27° West in Singapore, to get some tips on creating a restaurant-worthy biryani at home. His expert suggestions centered around using five secret ingredients that will collectively imbue your dish with a complex flavor, heady aroma, and subtle sweetness. Ready to whip up a bussin' biryani? Let's go!

Truffle oil is one of those fancy ingredients that's reserved for chefs right? Wrong! It's perfect for amping up the savoriness of biryani and "adds an umami depth" to its existing flavors, according to chef Inamdar. The best truffle oils have a distinctive musky and earthy note. Made by infusing good quality oil with genuine truffles, they can be expensive. Luckily, cheaper synthetic truffle oils that mimic the flavor of the real stuff can be bought cheaply.

The benefit to using oil, as opposed to shavings of bonafide truffle, is that oil costs less, lasts longer, and is more readily available. Moreover, a small drizzle can be evenly distributed through a biryani, unlike thin shavings that stay in one spot. Truffle oil is best used as a finishing oil that provides aroma and flavor at the very end so it shouldn't be used to make the spicy base of a biryani. It also has a low smoke point so it isn't useful for fast frying or sauteing. Rather, the oil should be used sparingly over the cooked dish and stirred through. The steam from the rice volatizes the flavors in the oil, helping it to release its unique aroma.

You've likely heard of black salt (or kala namak) if you're vegan but have you heard of black garlic? This interesting ingredient is made by heat-aging bulbs of garlic until the cloves turn the color of coal. Over time, the garlic starts to caramelize and develop a sweeter flavor, while its texture turns softer and stickier.

The benefit to using black garlic in your biryani is two fold. According to Inamdar, its inherently molasses-like flavor "gives a rich, mellow sweetness" to the dish, which rounds it off beautifully. This mellowness occurs because the heat and humidity applied to the garlic during the fermentation process dampens its harshness while lending it complexity, in the same way an aged balsamic is imbued with layers of depth. It doesn't have the same pungency as fresh garlic and is therefore more commonly compared to roasted garlic that has lost some of its sharp spiciness. Secondly, the inky black cloves transform the color of your masala as it cooks down, turning it richer and darker. When paired with the white rice that's already generously flecked with orange, this intense masala will pop, creating eye catching drama.

One of the distinctive features of a classic biryani is its reddish orange hue. This gorgeous sunset color sets it apart from other South Asian rice dishes, such as pulao and kichdi, and gives the dish a show stopping appearance. The authentic way to color rice for biryani is to use strands of saffron that have been left to infuse in warm water. However, many home cooks use food coloring (mixed with fragrant Kewra water or rose water) because it's easy to find and cheap.

While saffron is the world's most expensive spice, only a few strands are required to make an intensely orange tincture. Moreover, they have an almost sweet, floral aroma that elevates the flavor of the rice. Chef Inamdar infuses his saffron in coconut milk to give it a "tropical touch" — the nutty flavor of the milk combines with the floral notes extracted from the saffron to create a complex infusion that's full of character. Once all the layers of the biryani are assembled in a pan, the saffron milk can be spooned over the top to color the rice, before it's steamed. Alternatively, you can poke holes deep into the rice and pour the milk directly into the cavities. As the biryani steams, the flavor of the milk will suffuse through the rice as it evaporates, while turning some of the rice grains a stunning orange.

The savory, umami flavor of biryani normally comes from the meat and spices. However, if you want a veggie version, you can get that satisfying flavor from morel mushrooms. These mushrooms, which are called gucchi in other parts of the world, contain glutamic acid, which lends them a super-savory quality. In addition, the texture of these mushrooms almost mimics the texture of meat, which gives a vegetarian biryani lots of welcome bite. 

Chef Inamdar uses gucchi from Kashmir (which are costly because they have a short growing season) to give his version of biryani an "earthy richness." These mushrooms are often dried and have to be reconstituted with water before use. However, it is possible to get fresh morels from well-stocked produce markets and grocery stores. Either make your biryani solely with mushrooms or add them to your tender lamb to boost the savoriness of your masala and give it an earthier resonance. If using dried mushrooms, add the remaining soaking liquid into the water that you use to boil your rice; it makes a fantastic flavor enhancer that will maximizes savoriness.

Aside from spiced lamb and rice, a biryani can also feature add-ins, like chopped potatoes, boiled eggs, nuts, or dried fruit. In fact, it's not uncommon for South Asian and Persian savory rice dishes to include sweet elements. For example, tart barberries are a key ingredient in Iranian Zeresht Polo, and plump raisins and carrots are essential in Kabuli Pulao, a traditional dish made in the northern areas of Pakistan.

Chef Inamdar adds "some chunks of ripe pineapple and/or dried apricots [to his biryani] for that added sweet sour depth as flavor layering." These fruity ingredients can be scattered over each layer of rice so every strata benefits from some sweetness that complements the deep, savory personality of the protein (anything from chicken and beef to shrimp and lamb). Cooked in a masala made of earthy spices, chili, golden onions, and tomatoes, the meat often benefits from a sweet counterbalance. Once the biryani is ready, all the elements can be stirred together gently (so as not to break the delicate strands of rice) so the pineapple and apricots are thoroughly distributed. However, another idea is to garnish your platter of biryani with the dried fruit instead.