For foodies, biryani is an emotion that one can relate to. This Independence Day, Marriott International has united the flavours and aromas of Biryani from regions across the country under a single menu — celebrating the emotions that come along with Indias most loved dish by introducing 40 variations as a special treat for all Biryani enthusiasts.

Here is how you can recreate some of the most exquisite flavours of Biryani at your home following the recipes of some of Marriott’s leading Chefs, including by Chef Gautam Mehrishi, Renaissance Mumbai Convention Centre Hotel, Chef Soma Sundaram, Courtyard by Marriott Madurai and Chef Rounak Kinger, JW Marriott Kochi.

While Chef Mehrishi shared the first two recipes below, the next two are by Chef Sundaram and Chef Kinger, respectively.

Bhatti Da Murgh Biryani

Tripple Cooked on the bone Leg of Hormone Free Chicken in crushed black pepper mix, aromatized long grain rice cooked in Dum, Yoghurt Raita.

Bhatti Da Murgh

Ingredients

Chicken leg and thigh (on the bone) 900 gms

Hung Yogurt 120 gms

Lemon Juice 10 ml.

Garlic Paste 30 gms

Ginger Paste 30 gms

Kashmiri Chilli powder 8-10 gms

Turmeric Powder 8-10 gms

Crushed black Pepper 8-10 gms

Salt to taste

Mustard Oil 150 ml

Chicken stock (reduced and thick) 1 Ltr

Cumin Powder 8-10 gms

Kebab Masala 5-6 gms

Garam Masala 8-10 gms

Fresh cream 25 ml

Fresh coriander sprigs 10-12 nos

Method

Wash and dry pat the chicken thigh and leg and apply the first marinade of salt, ginger, garlic paste and lemon juice. Then keep aside for 20 minutes.

For the final Marinade � mix hung curd, Kashmiri red chilli paste, coriander powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, kebab masala, garam masala, crushed black pepper and mustard oil and place the chicken with the first marinade into the second marinade mixture.

Cook the chicken in two steps. Step I- sear on an open charcoal grill on all sides to seal all the juices, Step II- Cook in the tandoor till 75% done and rest sprinkling with kebab masala, cream and chopped coriander.

BIRYANI RICE

Ingredients

Long grain Basmati Rice 300 gms

Desi Ghee 50 ml

Bay Leaf 3 nos

Star Anise 4 nos

Cloves 4 nos

Salt to taste

Black pepper whole 4 nos

Mace 3 nos

Black and green cardamom 3 nos each

Method

Wash and soak the rice for 30 minutes.

Boil water in a pot with desi ghee, bay leaf, star anise, cloves, salt, black pepper whole, black and green cardamom and mace.

Once the water is boiling add the soaked rice and cook till 75-80 % cooked.

Now strain the rice and assemble the biryani for dum cooking.

GARNISH FOR DUM

Saffron soaked in Almond Milk 12 strands

Mint Leaves 1 or 2 nos

Brown Onions 30 gms

Assemble

In a lagan take the cooked chicken add the stock and add the rice from the cooking pot with the help of a strainer and cover completely.

Once the rice is ready to strain add mint leaves, saffron soaked in almond milk and brown onions, close and seal with a lid and kneaded wheat dough. Cook on dum for 12 minutes based on a heavy bottom tava at the base.

For the last 5 minutes cook on high heat to generate steam in the lagan.

After 15 minutes of cooking remove from the heat source and open to serve with a rest time of 5 minutes.

Accompaniment and Garnish

Saffron soaked in Almond Milk 12 strands

Mint Leaves 1 or 2 nos

Brown Onions 30 gms

Sliced Almonds 25 gms

Churned yoghurt 100 gms

Roasted Cumin Powder 2-3 gms

Salt as per taste

Method

In a bowl mix the churned yoghurt with salt and roasted cumin powder and garnish with mint leaves and roasted cumin powder.

Gulnar Raan Biryani

Slow-Cooked Hind Leg of Goat in sweet spices, aromatized long grain rice cooked in Dum, Yoghurt Raita.

Gulnar Raan

Ingredients

Hind Leg of Goat 1000 gms

Hung Yogurt 100 gms

Lemon Juice 10 ml.

Garlic Paste 30 gms

Ginger Paste 30 gms

Yellow Chilli powder 8-10 gms

Turmeric Powder 8-10 gms

White Pepper Powder 8-10 gms

Salt to taste

Desi Ghee 150 ml

Mutton stock 3 liters

Royal Cumin 8-10 gms

Green Cardamom Whole 5-6 nos

Paan Ki Jaad (beetel root) 25 gms

Saffron Strands 10-12 nos

Mace Powder 8-10 gms

Brown onion 100 gms

Method

Make insertions on the leg with a sharp knife for the marination to seep in.

For Marinade — Mix yoghurt with yellow chilli powder, lemon juice, garlic and ginger paste, turmeric powder, white pepper, salt, royal cumin, green cardamom, saffron and mace powder and make smooth marination.

Marinate the goat leg overnight, store in the refrigerator.

For cooking, heat a lagan (copper utensil that is wide, thick-walled with a slightly curved thick bottom) add desi ghee and sear the goat leg from all sides, add brown onion and the stock, cover and cook in dum till tender.

After the goat leg is tender cooked remove it from the lagan, strain the cooking juices.

Reduce the cooking juices to half and keep them aside.

BIRYANI RICE

Ingredients

Long grain Basmati Rice 300 gms

Desi Ghee 50 ml

Bay Leaf 3 nos

Star Anise 4 nos

Cloves 4 nos

Salt to taste

Black pepper whole 4 nos

Mace 3 nos

Black and green cardamom 3 nos each

Method

Wash and soak the rice for 30 minutes.

Boil water in a pot with desi ghee, bay leaf, star anise, cloves, salt, black pepper whole, black and green cardamom and mace.

Once the water is boiling add the soaked rice and cook till 75-80 % cooked.

Now strain the rice and assemble the biryani for dum cooking.

GARNISH FOR DUM

Saffron soaked in Almond Milk 12 strands

Mint Leaves 1 or 2 nos

Brown Onions 30 gms

Assemble

In the lagan take the cooked raan add the cooked juices and add the rice from the cooking pot with the help of a strainer and cover completely.

Once the rice is ready to strain add mint leaves, saffron soaked in almond milk and brown onions, close and seal with a lid and kneaded whet dough. Cook on dum for 15 minutes based on a heavy bottom tava at the base.

For the last 5 minutes cook on high heat to generate steam in the lagan.

After 15 minutes of cooking remove from the heat source and open to serve with a rest time of 5 minutes.

Accompaniment and Garnish

Saffron soaked in Almond Milk 12 strands

Mint Leaves 1 2 nos

Brown Onions 30 gms

Sliced Almonds 25 gms

Churned yoghurt 100 gms

Roasted Cumin Powder 2-3 gms

Salt as per taste

Method

In a bowl mix the churned yoghurt with salt and roasted cumin powder and garnish with mint leaves and roasted cumin powder.

MADURAI MUTTON BRIYANI

Ingredients

Vegetable Oil 200 ml

Coconut Oil 200 ml

Ghee 100 ml

Bayleaf 3 no

Marathi moggu 3 no

Kalpasi 2gm

Star anise 2 no.

Cinnamon 5 gm

Cardamom 5 no.

Cloves 4 no.

Onion Large 300 gm (thinly sliced)

Shallots 150 gm (grind to paste)

Ginger Garlic Paste 3tbsp

Tomato 150 gm (cubes)

Chilli Powder 3 tbsp.

Coriander Powder 1 tbsp.

Garam Masala Powder 1 tbsp.

Salt to taste

Coriander Leaves 1 bunch (chopped)

Mint Leaves 1 bunch (chopped)

Curd 100ml

Green Chillies 30gm (slit)

Lemon Juice 2 tbsp

Seeraga Samba Rice 750gm

Water 1.25lit

Mutton 1 kg (with bone)

Roast & Grind: Cinnamon – 3 stick, Cardamom – 15, Cloves – 1 tbsp

Method

Take cinnamon, cardamom and cloves in a dry pan and roast it well. Cool it down and make a fine powder. Set aside.

Heat oil and coconut oil in a Briyani pot or a brass hundi.

Add cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, bay leaf, Marathi moggy, kalpasi, star anise and let it crackle.

Add sliced onions saut until golden brown then add pureed shallots and cook well

Add ginger-garlic paste till the raw flavour goes off

Add tomatoes and cook till it gets mushy then add curd, green chillies, lemon juice and mix well.

Add washed mutton and salt and cook well.

Add allspice powder and mix well.

Add 250ml of water and bring it to a boil. Cover with a lid until mutton is cooked softly.

Now add remaining water, coriander leaves and mint leaves and mix well bring it to boil.

Then add soaked Seeraga samba rice (rice to be soaked for 20 min)

Cook on high heat for 10 min and mix well. Rice to be cooked for 75% then remove the biryani pot from the range and keep it on a hot plate

Cover with the lid or silver foil for dum cooking for 15 min.

Turn off the hot plate and leave it for 5 min before opening the foil.

Finish with melted ghee and add chopped coriander and mint

Remove and fluff the rice.

Serve hot with onion raitha and dalcha

POTHI KOZHI BIRYANI

(Serves 10)

Ingredients

Nadan chicken 2000gm

(Country chicken)

Onion 700gm

Ginger 70gm

Garlic 60gm

Green chilli 80gm

Tomato 120gm

Mint leaf 100gm

Coriander leaf 80gm

Cashew nut 70gm

Kish mish 70gm

Rosewater 120ml

Fried onion 150gm

Saffron dissolved in milk

Ghee 340ml

Lime juice 3 lime

Kaima Rice 1200gm washed and strained

For the Biryani Masala Powder

Clove 10gm

Cinnamon 15gm

Green Cardamoms 20 gm

Mace 5gm

Fennel seeds 40 gm

Nutmeg 5gm

Shahi jeera 15gm

Rice for Cooking

Star anise 2gm

Refined oil 160gm

Cardamom 2gm

Cloves 2gm

Cinnamon stick 2gm

Rosewater 2ml

Lime juice 2no

Salt to Taste

Method

For Rice

Heat refined oil in a thick-bottomed pan, crackles whole spices, add the strained/soaked kaima rice and fry for 3 minutes

Add boiled water and simmer until the water evaporates partially. Add lime juice and rose water stir well and cover with a lid and cook for 5 minutes or and until 90% cooked;

For Chicken

Heat ghee in uruli and fry 200gm slice onion until golden brown in color and fry the cashew nuts, raisins keep aside.

Roughly, crush the ginger, garlic and green chili.

Saute the onions, ginger, garlic, green chili until tender, add sliced tomatoes, cook until soft and mashed

Add the meat and cook for half done; Add the powdered masala and chopped mint leaves, mix well and cook till is 80 percent done.

Add lemon juice, mint and coriander leaves, mix well and switch off flame.

Layer the cooked rice over the meat. Add remaining fried onions, fried cashew nuts, raisins and sprinkle with the saffron milk, rose water. Prepare two layers of rice and chicken masala.

Cover the vessel with a lid. In addition, burn some charcoal on a low heat to let rice and masala cook together.

Portion out on the banana leaf, wrap it with a thread, and leave it to cook slowly over charcoal heat. Serve hot with raita and dates pic.