Sindhi biryani
سندھی بریانی
Layered rice and meat from Sindh, hot and sour, with potatoes, dried plums, yoghurt and a lot of green chilli.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen. Native name preserved: سندھی بریانی.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 1 hr 15 min
- Rest
- 30 min
- Total
- 2 hr 15 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Spice
- Hot
- Cost
- A bit special$16–28 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Sindhi biryani is the loud one. The meat curry under the rice is cooked with yoghurt, tomatoes, whole green chillies, mint and dried sour plums, and spiced harder than other biryanis. Potatoes cook in the gravy and soak it up. Par-boiled basmati is layered over the top with fried onion and more herbs, then sealed and steamed. The result is wet at the bottom and fluffy on top, sour from the plums and tomato, hot from the chillies. This version uses chicken, which Karachi street biryani almost always does; mutton works if you have the time.
What you'll need
23 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.
Ingredients
- Chicken, bone-in pieces, skin off1 kg
- Rice, aged basmati, rinsed and soaked 30 minutes600 g
- Potato, peeled and halved3 medium
- Yoghurt, whisked250 g
- Tomato, chopped4 medium
- Onion, thinly sliced3 large
- Prunes, or dried sour plums (aloo bukhara), which are the real thing10
- Fresh chilli, green, whole, slit8
- Mint, leaves1 bunch
- Coriander, chopped1 bunch
- Ginger garlic paste44 ml
- Chilli powder15 ml
- Turmeric4.9 ml
- Garam masala15 ml
- Cumin, seeds9.9 ml
- Cardamom, green, cracked6 pod
- Neutral oil120 ml
- Lemon, juiced1
- Yellow food colouring, dissolved in 2 tbsp water (optional)1.2 ml
- Salt, plus more for the rice water15 ml
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Fry the onions in the oil in a heavy pot until deep brown, 20 minutes. Remove half and drain on paper for the layers.
20 min
Step 2
To the onions left in the pot add the whole spices and cumin, then ginger-garlic paste. Fry 1 minute. Add chicken and brown 5 minutes. Add chilli powder, turmeric, half the garam masala and salt.
8 min
Step 3
Stir in tomatoes, yoghurt, potatoes, plums and half the green chillies. Cover and simmer 25 minutes until the potatoes are tender and the chicken is cooked. The gravy should be thick, not soupy. Reduce uncovered if needed.
25 min
Step 4
Meanwhile boil a large pot of water salted like the sea. Cook the soaked rice 5 to 6 minutes until 70 percent done, a grain still has a firm white core. Drain.
8 min
Watch: Overcooked rice at this stage turns to mush on dum. Pull it early.
Step 5
Scatter half the mint, coriander and the remaining chillies over the curry. Layer the rice on top. Add the rest of the herbs, the fried onion, remaining garam masala, lemon juice and streaks of colouring.
5 min
Step 6
Seal the lid tightly with foil or a cloth. Cook on high 3 minutes until you hear steam, then on the lowest heat 25 minutes. Rest 10 minutes without opening. Fold from the bottom to serve.
40 min
Tip: A heavy frying pan under the pot spreads the heat and saves the bottom.
Nutrition
Per serving · estimate
- Calories
- 735 kcal
- Protein
- 60.6 g
- Carbs
- 60.1 g
- Fat
- 27.3 g
- Saturated fat
- 4.6 g
- Fibre
- 6.1 g
- Sugar
- 8.7 g
- Sodium
- 1137 mg
Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.
Allergens
Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.
- Milk
- Gluten-free
Adapt this recipe
The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 13 November.
Substitutions
Chicken → Mutton or lamb shoulder on the bone
Cook the meat stage 75 minutes before adding potatoes.
Tips
- Sour plums are the signature. Look for aloo bukhara at a South Asian grocer; prunes with a squeeze of lemon are the fallback.
- The curry must be thicker than you think. Rice steams in its moisture and will go soggy over a thin gravy.
History & culture
This is the biryani Karachi runs on. It is lunch from a cart, the standard at weddings and the default Friday meal, often with a boiled egg on top and raita on the side. The sour, chilli-forward profile marks it off from Hyderabadi and Lucknowi versions.
Biryani came to Sindh with Mughal governors and Persian-influenced Muslim cooks. The Sindhi style took shape in the 20th century as Karachi grew into a migrant city; the plums, potatoes and heavy tomato mark local taste and set it apart from the Hyderabadi style.
Traditional — Yellow food colouring is what most Karachi cooks use for the streaked rice. Saffron is the fancy alternative and changes the flavour a little.
Provenance: Editorial adaptation.
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Sindhi biryani take?
2 hr 15 min all in — 30 min prep, 1 hr 15 min cook, 30 min rest. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 6 plates. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
Medium.
How spicy is it?
Hot.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Milk. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Gluten-free.
7 more questionsFewer questions
What does it cost to cook?
A bit special — about $16–28 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Dutch oven, Stockpot, Frying pan.
How much salt do I put in?
The recipe lists Salt at 1 tbsp (plus more for the rice water).
What can I use instead?
Chicken → Mutton or lamb shoulder on the bone. Cook the meat stage 75 minutes before adding potatoes.
What should I watch for?
Overcooked rice at this stage turns to mush on dum. Pull it early.
Any tips from this recipe?
Sour plums are the signature. Look for aloo bukhara at a South Asian grocer; prunes with a squeeze of lemon are the fallback. The curry must be thicker than you think. Rice steams in its moisture and will go soggy over a thin gravy.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
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