When Indians celebrate, they’re likely to dine on biriyani, an elaborate one-pot rice dish that is a highlight of Indian cooking. An authentic biriyani incorporates two dishes in one: a rice pilaf and a rich, saucy stew called khorma. The khorma, a braised dish of Moghul origin, may be made with meat, such as goat or lamb; with shrimp; or with vegetables and panir (Indian cheese).

Lamb Biriyani with Orange

For biriyani, the pilaf and the stew are partially cooked separately, then layered in a heavy clay pot, which is sealed with dough and cooked for hours in the last embers of the tandoor. (The word biriyani comes from the Persian word beryan, meaning baked.) The rice blossoms in the savory steam from the stew and picks up flavors from the meat. All in all, it is an exquisite, festive and time-consuming preparation.

North, central and southern Indian cooks approach biriyani differently, and you will have noticeably different versions in each region. In the north, they use saffron, yogurt and long-grain basmati rice; in the south, they use tomato, lime and short-grain rice. Common to all is the use of raisins and nuts, although the nuts will vary: pistachios and almonds in the north, cashews in the south.

One of the most distinctive biriyani styles comes from Kerala, in southern India, and is known as moppila biriyani, after the Arab Muslims who came to Kerala and married the local women (moppila means sons-in-law). These men were accepted into the community, and their culinary influence shows in the food.

For moppila biriyani, Kerala cooks make a garam masala (spice paste) using many of their locally grown spices: cinnamon, cumin, clove, cardamom, nutmeg, mace, black pepper and more. The meat, which must have bones, is marinated for several hours in lime juice with onions, garlic, turmeric, chiles and the aromatic garam masala. The meat is parcooked, as is the rice, and then the two are layered and baked as described above. The dish is garnished with boiled eggs and served with mango chutney. What a feast!

Lamb Biriyani with Orange

Yogurt and Daikon Rice