Biryani masala powder or chicken masala powder is a spice mix that is used to prepare fragrant biryani rice like chicken biryani or vegetable biryani. It can also be used to make chicken masala curry.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 7 minutes
  • Cook time: 13 minutes
  • Total time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 65 · 65 grams
  • Category: Condiment
  • Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • 1 to 3 bay leaf ((tej patta))
  • 15 green cardamom ((3 grams, elaichi))
  • 2 to 3 black cardamom ((3 grams, badi elaichi, masala elaichi))
  • 2 to 3 star anise ((4 grams, biryani flower, chakri phool))
  • 1½ tablespoons fennel seeds ((12 grams, saunf, refer notes))
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper corn ((3 grams, kali mirch))
  • 5 to 6 pieces cinnamon ((2 inch each, 5 grams, dalchini))
  • 1 tablespoon cloves ((6 to 7 grams, lavang))
  • ¼ cup coriander seeds ((18 grams, sabut daniya))
  • 2 tablespoons caraway seeds ((16 grams, shahi jeera))
  • 1 mace ((2 grams, membrane covering 1 nutmeg, javitri, refer notes))
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg ((1½ to 2 grams, grated or crushed, jaiphal))
  • 3 (1½ to 2 grams) stone flowers ((optional, kalpaasi or dagad phool - medium sized))

Method

  1. Clean up the spices one after the other to pick and discard stones and debris, chaffs etc. Wipe clean bay leaf and cinnamon pieces with a tissue. Break the nutmeg to 2 portions with a nutcracker or a mortar pestle.

Roast Spices

  1. You can skip roasting and just sun dry the spices for several hours until crisp. Cool them completely.
  2. On a medium flame dry roast coriander seeds until aromatic, crunchy and light brown. Transfer to a wide tray placed over a cooling rack. This way your roasted spices & the tray won't sweat.
  3. Add half of the nutmeg (about 1.5 to 2 grams) to the pan along with cinnamon, mace, star anise, black cardamoms and bay leaf.
  4. Dry roast them on a medium flame until the spices begin to smell aromatic. Keep stirring so the spices roast evenly. Transfer to the cooling tray.
  5. Add cloves, black pepper corn and green cardamoms (with the shell). Dry roast until they begin to smell good, for 2 to 3 mins. Transfer them to the same tray.
  6. Dry roast caraway seeds on a low to medium heat until fragrant. This spice can burn faster so be attentive. Transfer to the tray.
  7. Dry roast the fennel seeds until you begin to get a floral smell for 3 mins. Transfer to a tray.

How to make Biryani Masala

  1. When all the spices cool down, add them to a grinder jar or spice jar. Grind to a fine powder. The spices can also be milled to a fine powder in a mill.
  2. Sieve and store biryani masala powder in an airtight glass jar. You can use the coarse particles to make masala tea. Biryani masala can also be freezed for an year without losing the flavor.
  3. Use biryani masala powder as needed while making any kind of biryani. To make chicken masala curry, use as needed based on the recipe.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.