Homemade Biryani Masala Powder Recipe (Mild & Aromatic)

If you love making biryani often, this homemade biryani masala powder will elevate it with an irresistibly aromatic flavor. It has a delicate fragrant sweetness and a gentle heat, and the best part-it takes only about 20 minutes to prepare. With a shelf life of 1-2 months, this biryani masala is perfect not just for biryanis, but also for adding depth to rice dishes such as pulaos.

Not going to lie, I often use store-bought biryani masala for convenience and even recommend it in my recipes. But every time I sprinkle a few spoonfuls of my homemade version, I can't help but wonder why I don't make it more often. Homemade spice blends are a true game changer! The freshness, aroma, and texture are simply unmatched.

India is home to an incredible variety of biryanis, each with its own unique flavor, ingredients, and method of preparation. Though I enjoy all kinds of biryani but I am a bit partial towards more delicate and aromatic styles of biryani, particularly the Awadhi and Delhi versions.

And those are the flavors that my biryani masala powder reflects. It has a beautiful balance of flavor and aroma that will make every bite of your biryani taste delicate and regal.

About My Recipe

• I don't grind red chilies or mix red chili powder into the biryani masala itself. Instead, I add the red chili masala separately while making the marinade or during the actual cooking of the biryani. There are two key reasons why I follow this method.
  • First, if you grind whole red chilies along with fragrant spices like cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and rose petals, the heat and sharpness of the chilies tend to dominate and mutes the delicate aroma of the biryani masala. By keeping the biryani masala focused on the more aromatic elements and adding the chili separately, you can maintain a perfect balance between fragrance and heat.
  • Secondly, separating the red chili masala allows for greater control over the spice level. Sometimes, I want the biryani to have just a subtle kick, while other times I might be in the mood for a much bolder, fiery flavor. By adding the chili powder during the cooking process, I can adjust the heat depending on how I am feeling that day.
• Some recipes will ask you to substitue biryani masala with garam masala powder. Though many spices used to make these two blends overlap, the quantity of individual spices vary and hence the overall taste and intensity of the blend. Both these extremely fragrant indian spice blends have different flavor and strength. Biryani masala is more sharp & intense in taste but has a strong sweet aroma. Garam masala has lot of warmth and a woody aroma.

Ingredients

• Shahi Jeera - Or caraway seeds. These are also called shah jeera. It looks similar to regular cumin seeds but its finer. The taste is milder as compared to regular cumin. In hindi, shahi means royal and it carries forward the mild delicate taste in biryanis.
• Rose Petals - Use food grade rose petals. You can leave them out if you dont prefer.

Instructions

1. Start by measuring the spices. Run your fingers through spices like coriander seeds and cumin seeds to make sure that they are clean and there are no small stones or debris etc.
2. Since these spices differ in shape and size, we are not going to roast them together. Roast similar sized spices together.
3. On low heat, dry roast the coriander seeds and cumin seeds. Don't brown too much. We are looking for a light toast. Transfer to a dry, clean plate.
4. Add the mace twigs, nutmeg pieces, black cinnamom pods and broken cinnamon next. Roast gently for a minute or so. Transfer to the same plate.
5. Then, roast the green cardamom pods, black peppercorns and cloves together. Transfer to the plate.

6. Let all the spices cool down completely.
7. Add the cooled spices along with rose petals to a dry blender jar.
8. Blitz 2-4 times and then pulse to make a powder. Dont over blend else the spices will release their oils and it will become clumpy. The powder should not be too coarse, nor it should be super fine.

9. Open the lid. Using a dry spoon, transfer the biryani masala powder to a clean and dry air tight container and store for 1-2 months. Always use a dry spoon to scoop it out and secure the lid tightly to maintain freshness.

How To Use Biryani Masala Powder

1. The thumb rule I follow is about 2-3 teaspoons per pound of meat. You can add more or less depending on your taste.
2. I sprinkle biryani masala while cooking the marinated meats or vegetables with the onions, ginger garlic and herbs. Since I mainly include it to add a particular aroma and flavor to the biryani, you will still need to add other ground spices if the recipe calls for. For example, in my mutton biryani recipe, I marinate the goat meat with yogurt, red chili powder, turmeric powder etc and then while making the meat base, I add biryani masala.
3. The second way I use biryani masala is to sprinkle it on the rice layers while I am layering the biryani (especially vegetarian biryanis such as paneer biryani). Plain basmati rice can taste bland and a little sprinkle of biryani masala helps to introduce mild aroma and flavor. You can add this biryani masala to your pulao recipes too.