Okay, so I wanted biryani the other night, like, really wanted it. But you know how it is, getting home late, feeling tired, the whole traditional process just felt like way too much work. I needed something fast, something easy. So, I decided to try whipping up a quick version. Not the super authentic kind that takes hours, but something to hit that craving.
Getting Started – The Quick Prep
First thing, I grabbed what I had on hand. Didn’t have time to grind spices or anything fancy.
- Chicken thighs, already cut into pieces (lifesaver!)
- One big onion, chopped it up roughly.
- A couple of tomatoes, same deal, just a quick chop.
- Ginger-garlic paste – straight from the jar. No shame in shortcuts, right?
- Plain yogurt.
- A box of Shan Biryani Masala. Yeah, the pre-made stuff. Judge me later.
- Basmati rice – rinsed it a few times until the water wasn’t super cloudy.
I tossed the chicken with some yogurt and a good spoonful of that biryani masala mix. Let it sit while I got everything else going, maybe 10-15 minutes? Not a real marinade, just enough to get some flavor in there.
Cooking It Up Fast
Got my biggest pot, added some oil. Tossed in the onions and fried them till they were just starting to brown. Didn’t need them perfectly crispy, just softened up. Then went in the ginger-garlic paste, stirred it for like 30 seconds until it smelled good.
Next, dumped in the chopped tomatoes and cooked them down a bit. Added the rest of the biryani masala powder from the box, maybe a bit of chili powder ’cause I like some heat. Stirred it all up. Then, the chicken pieces went in, along with any yogurt marinade left in the bowl. I cooked that on medium-high heat, stirring often, until the chicken wasn’t pink anymore. Added a splash of water, put the lid on, and let it simmer while I dealt with the rice. Needed that chicken cooked through, you know.
For the rice, I just boiled it in a separate pot with plenty of salted water. The key for quick biryani, I think, is not fully cooking the rice. I drained it when it was maybe 80% cooked? Still had a little bite to it.
Putting It Together – The Speedy Way
Okay, chicken base was looking pretty good and smelling amazing. I didn’t bother with fancy layers. Honestly, I just drained the rice really well and dumped most of it right on top of the chicken mixture in the pot. Spread it out evenly.
I did sprinkle a little bit of saffron water I quickly made (just a few strands in warm water) over the top for color, and some chopped cilantro I had lying around. Felt a bit fancy, even if it was quick.
Then, the ‘dum’ part, but make it fast. I just put the lid on tight, turned the heat down to the absolute lowest setting, and let it steam like that for maybe 10-12 minutes. Just long enough for the rice to finish cooking and soak up those flavors from the bottom.
The Result? Pretty Darn Good!
And that was basically it. Turned off the heat, let it sit for another 5 minutes with the lid on. When I opened it, smelled awesome. I gently mixed it all together before serving.
Look, was it the most complex, authentic biryani ever made? Absolutely not. But was it tasty, satisfying, and on the table in under an hour? Yes! It totally hit the spot. Sometimes you just need that quick fix, and this method worked out great for a weeknight. Clean-up wasn’t too bad either, mostly just the two pots. Definitely doing this again when the craving strikes and time is short.
