Go Back

The Best Biriyani Masala Ever!

Adapted & slightly modified from Swasthi's original here. This is a great go-to spice mix for any chicken dish, not just biriyani--although we use it in vegetable pulaos with paneer, too.
Print Recipe
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ½ teaspoons sonbu/saunf/fennel seeds
  • 2 tablespoons of shahi jeera
  • 1 tablespoon ordinary jeera
  • 2-3 bay leaves
  • 2 annachi poo/star anise
  • 12-15 green cardamom whole
  • 3 black cardamom/badi elaichi whole
  • 1 teaspoon milagu/black peppercorns
  • 5-6 whole cinnamon sticks 2” each
  • 1 tablespoon of cloves
  • 4 tablespoons of coriander seeds
  • 2 pieces of mace
  • ½ teaspoon of grated nutmeg
  • 5 pieces kalpasi or stone flowers

Method
 

  1. Slowly dry roast all the ingredients on a low flame save the grated nutmeg and the stone flowers until crisp and fragrant.
  2. Add in the nutmeg and stone flowers and transfer to the jar of a coffee grinder or blender. Pulse into a fine powder.
  3. Transfer to a jar and use within 4-5 months or refrigerate to extend shelf-life up to a year.

Notes

Note that shahi jeera (Bunium Persicum, native to central Asia and northern India) and caraway seeds (Carum carvi, native to Western Asia, Europe, N. Africa) -- are clearly not the same thing, and it's worth your while to get the formed from an Indian grocer than to try to substitute one for the other!