Nasi Briyani
Delicious meat masala (chicken or mutton) served with fragrant Biryani Rice, in the Singapore and Malaysia style.
A popular recipe for a very different type of Biryani.
The Recipe Intro includes more information about Nasi Briyani. Check it out ↓
Ingredients:
| Chicken or Mutton (medium sized pieces for Biryani) | 1.5 kg |
For the Rice:
| Basmati rice or long grained rice, washed 3 times with cold water and drained | 4 cups | |
| Ghee | 4 rounded Tbsp | |
| Onions, sliced | 2 medium | |
| Garlic,minced | 4 cloves | |
| Ginger,chopped finely | 1 Tbsp | |
| Cinnamon sticks | ½ Tbsp | |
| Cloves | ½ Tbsp | |
| Cardamom pods | 1 Tbsp | |
| Tomato puree | 2 tsp | |
| Grated carrot (optional) | ¹⁄8 - ¼ cup | |
| Pandan/Screwpine (knotted) | 4 leaves | |
| Water | 5 cups | |
| Evaporated milk | 1 cup | |
| Salt (3- 3½ tsp) | To taste | |
| Kewra Essence, preferred (or pandan essence) | 1 tsp or more | |
| Liquid yellow food coloring (optional) | A few drops |
For the Marinade:
| Garlic | 1 entire bulb | |
| Fresh Ginger | Same amount as Garlic | |
| Salt (to taste) | 1 tsp | |
| Half a small lime | ( about 1 tsp) Juice of |
For the Masala/Gravy:
| Oil | ½ cup | |
| Onions, sliced | 4 medium / (250 gms) | |
| Garlic, minced | 1½ Tbsp | |
| Ginger, minced | 1½ Tbsp | |
| Cardamom pods | 1 Tbsp | |
| Cinnamon stick | ½ Tbsp | |
| Cloves | ½ Tbsp | |
| Pepper powder | about 1 tsp | |
| Turmeric powder | ¾ tsp | |
| Fennel powder | ¾ tsp | |
| Pandan leaves (knotted ) | 4 | |
| Coriander powder | 1 ½ - 2 tsp | |
| Chilli powder | 1 ½ tsp |
For Garnish:
| Golden Sultanas/Raisins and Cashew Nuts | As needed | |
| Oil (for frying) | ½ cup | |
| Onions, sliced | 2 medium | |
| Chopped fresh cilantro/ coriander leaves | ½ cup |
Method:
For the rice:
- Heat the ghee in a pot or preferably a rice cooker.
- Add and sauté onions till golden. Add the garlic, ginger, cinamon, cloves and cardamom. Sauté well.
- Next, add the tomato puree and stir briefly. Also add the carrot and pandan leaf.
- After cooking for one minute, add the pre-measured water and bring to a boil. Also add salt.
- Add the rice, stir and bring back to a simmer.
- Next, add the evaporated milk. Cover with a tight fitting lid and cook on low heat, till water runs dry. (OR Till your rice cooker goes to the ‘warm’ setting’).
- Fluff up the rice with a fork.
- (If using Rice Cooker – TURN OFF the Rice Cooker – do not keep on warm setting or the bottom layer of rice will become crisp).
- Remove the rice to a serving platter and sprinkle the Kewra Essence evenly through out the hot, fluffed rice.
- Also add the yellow food coloring, if using and toss so that you gets specks of yellow throughout the rice. This is commonly used here, but it may be omitted. You can also substitute for saffron soaked in hot milk to give you natural yellow coloring.
For the Chicken/Mutton:
- Rinse the chicken ( or mutton) well and keep drained.
- Add the ingredients ‘For the Marinade’, and rub well into the chicken. Allow to sit for ½ an hour or so while you prepare other ingredients.
- Heat oil in a non stick pan and add the pieces of marinated chicken to fry lightly on both sides. (We do not want to cook the chicken, just to get the outer flesh light golden. This helps to lock in the flavors keep the chicken moist while cooking.)
- Set aside chicken and strain the oil from the pan.
- Heat some of the strained oil again. Add onions, garlic and sauté till softened.
- Add cardamom, cinamon, cloves, pepper powder, turmeric powder and pandan leaves. Stir till aromatic.
- Add chicken (or mutton) and stir-fry for a few minutes.
- For chicken: Add 1- 1 1/2 cups water and cook, covered for 10-15 minutes on low over medium heat.
- For mutton: Add enough water to cover the mutton and cook, covered for 30-35 minutes on low over medium heat.
- Add on top of rice and serve.
- You may garnish with some fried golden raisins, cashews and fresh chopped coriander/cilantro.
Nasi Briyani
Notes:
- In Malaysia and Singapore, a simple cucumber and tomato sauce salad is served with this, instead of a yoghurt based raita.
Key Ingredients: Chicken/Mutton, Rice, Ghee, Onion, Ginger, Garlic, Spices, Carrot, Pandan Leaf, Evaporated Milk, Tomato Puree, Coriander Leaves, Oil.
EAT AND TELL!!!
Let us know if you tried – Nasi Briyani.
Thankyou for such a great recipe. Very much appreciated.
Oh my lordy lord.. followed the instruction of the Briyani rice.. it came out so so good. . I will keep This recipe..
And i cooked Briyani Chicken curry ,because i love drinking the curry..
That’s awesome… Thank you ..so happy you liked it! Wish you sent me a pic! What type of curry are you referring to ? Dalcha?
I’ll try took nasi briyani
Awesome!
Oh, it was delicious! Thank you soo much!
I try two times cook follow this recipe,,,really taste very good ,, all family like to eat
Thank you for sharing
Thank you so much .. Happy to know it 🙂
Stupid question here, 4 cups rice as in the measure or the cup from the rice cooker?
4 cup measure (1 cup is 240ml measuring cup)😊
The recipe sounds delicious and I am going to try cooking the dish for our Thanksgiving dinner. I have two questions about the recipe. Do you leave the cinnamon sticks whole or grind them into powder? Do you leave the cardamom pods whole or grind them?
I can’t get pandan leaves – are they critical to the recipe?
Hi. Although, they add a distinct aroma and light flavour. You can omit them if you can’t find them. The biryani will still be yummy.
Hi, just wondering why you crossed out the tomato puree and cardamom seeds? Are the measurements correct?
Thanks
Hi. i don’t see them crossed out here .. while viewing the recipe page, if you click on an ingredient, it will automatically cross it out.. This is to cross out as you go to make sure you have all ingredients in the list. To uncross it, just click it again. I believe that may – be what you are seeing.
i like to eat nasi branai
Gulli Boys
Can I use the same recipe for a vegetarian version? If yes, what vegetables would you recommend? Do I need to marinade the vegetables as I would if I made the meat version? Thanks
Hi, although I have not made the veg version of this particular recipe. I am sure you can! I usually use potatoes, cauliflower(cut into large chunks) , diced carrots and green peas, large tomato wedges, sometimes green beans. The potato and cauliflower can be marianted just like meat. Make sure the pieces are larger, or they would disintegrate during cooking.
You could also check out my simple Vegetable Biryani recipe here:https://recipesaresimple.com/recipe/vegetable-biryani/
Thanks for visiting.. come again:)
I love this biryani recipe! Can you talk a little more about the cucumber and tomato puree salad to go with?
Thanks for this recipe.