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Biryani Masala Recipe-How to Make Biryani Masala

Published: Jul 16, 2021 · Modified: Aug 23, 2024 by FeastwithSafiya · This post may contain affiliate links · 7 Comments

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The sole Biryani Masala Recipe you need in your spice cabinet. Ditch boxed spices with numerous unknown additives and create this beautifully fragrant homemade Biryani Masala Powder. Your quest to discover 'How to make Biryani Masala Powder' ends here.

how to make Biryani masala powder? Biryani masala recipe. authentic biryani recipe.

Jump to:
  • Family Tradition: Homemade Biryani Masala
  • What is Biryani Masala?
  • Garam Masala for Tangy Biryani
  • What is in This Recipe
  • Dry Roasting Whole Spices
  • Ingredients for Biryani Masala
  • Bombay Biryani Blend
  • How to Use Biryani Masala
  • Biryani Masala Recipe | Bombay Biryani Masala

Family Tradition: Homemade Biryani Masala

As a child in India, I never witnessed my mom using pre-made spice mixes like Biryani Masala or Garam Masala. Instead, she meticulously ground her own spices every month, and the lingering aroma from roasting them in her old Kadai remains vivid in my memory. For over 30 years, she relied on her trusty spice grinder to create these masalas that were adored by everyone.

Her Biryani Masala and Garam Masala were unparalleled, turning every meal into a delightful experience for family and friends. This recipe holds a special place in my heart as it evokes cherished memories of savoring her flavorful curries and biryani, all made with her homemade spice blend.

Whole spices for Indian Biryani Masala recipe

What is Biryani Masala?

Biryani masala makes Biryani so delicious! It's like an art to mix different spices just right for that amazing taste. Getting the amounts and flavors of each spice perfect is super important for the best Biryani masala recipe.

Even with different types of Biryani across South Asia, some key spices stay the same. Try mixing these spices to make your own special Biryani blend. It'll give your dish that real and tasty flavor.

Garam Masala for Tangy Biryani

Some parts of South Asia include amchur powder (dried mango powder) in their biryani masala blend for the tang, and others prefer to add Aloo Bukhara (dried prunes). Either way, South Asians love their biryani. They are very proud of their biryani heritage and refuse to hear anything negative about it.

Biryani Masala Powder ingredients.

What is in This Recipe

This is my family recipe. I have used 13 main whole spices to create this beautifully fragrant biryani masala blend. It can be used as garam masala for curries.

Adjust chili powder, turmeric, cumin-coriander, and salt according to your spice tolerance for biryani masala.

Image of whole spices

Dry Roasting Whole Spices

This recipe requires dry roasting the ingredients. Dry roasting the spices drives off the excess moisture and toasted spices are easier to grind into a fine powder consistency.

Dry roasting lengthens the shelf-life of powdered spices. Biryani Masala stays great for up to 6 months in an airtight container or a Jar.

Bay leaves, green cardamom, whole mace flowers, and nutmeg spices in a white bowl

Ingredients for Biryani Masala

My biryani masala blend includes fennel seeds, cumin seeds, caraway seeds, cloves, cinnamon, black peppers, bay leaves, nutmeg, mace flower, black cardamom, green cardamom, and whole coriander seeds.

The ingredients are easily available at any local South Asian grocery store. You may purchase the ingredients on Amazon if you like.

Bombay Biryani Blend

Exact measurements for Bombay Biryani Masala are included in the recipe card notes.

For Mild Bombay Biryani Masala:

  • Biryani Masala
  • Kashmiri Chili Powder
  • Turmeric Powder
  • Coriander Powder
  • Cumin Powder
  • Kasoori Methi dried Fenugreek
  • Amchur Powder
  • Fenugreek powder, optional
  • Dried Prunes/Plums (Aloo Bukhara) 
  • Whole spices like cinnamon sticks, green & black cardamom, cumin seeds, caraway seeds, whole black pepper, cloves, mace, and star anise. 
Biryani masala aka garam masala recipe. Bombay biryani recipe.

How to Use Biryani Masala

Biryani recipes to use this most fragrant Biryani Masala. You can also use this blend as a garam masala for meat curries.

  • Easy Chicken Biryani
  • Mutton Biryani
  • Indian Chicken Curry Recipe
  • Veg Dum Biryani
  • Chicken and Potato Curry
  • One-Pot Vegetable Spicy Rice
  • Lemon and tomato slices, fish and yogurt in a bowl
    Fish Biryani Recipe | Boneless Fish Biryani
  • Bowl of rice and shrimp
    Shrimp Biryani Recipe (Indian Prawns and Rice)
  • Veg Dum Biryani | Veg Biryani Recipe
  • Onion Raita
    Onion Raita-Yogurt Raita for Biryani

Tip: use 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon in a large pot of Meat Curry depending on your tolerance of spices. Go for less quantity if you are trying Biryani Masala for the first time. Increase the amount as needed.

How to make biryani masala powder?

Biryani Masala Recipe | Bombay Biryani Masala

Safiya
The best homemade Biryani Masala Recipe to make flavorful and delicious Meat Biryani at home. Includes Bombay Biryani Masala blend recipe.
5 from 4 votes
Print Pin
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 6 minutes mins
Total Time 16 minutes mins
Course Main Course, Spice Blend
Cuisine Indian
Servings 22 tablespoons
Calories 16 kcal

Equipment

Spice Grinder or Coffee Grinder
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients 

Dry roast Spice Blend

  • 3 Tablespoons Whole Coriander Seed , Sabut Dhaniya
  • 10 Black Cardamom , Badi Elaichi
  • 1 ½ Tablespoons Black Pepper Corn , Sabut Kali Mirch
  • ½ Tablespoon Whole Cloves , Sabut Laung
  • ¼ cup Cinnamon Stick , DaalChini
  • 2 Tablespoons Fennel Seed , Saunf
  • 1 ½ Tablespoons Cumin Seed , Jeera
  • 1 ½ Tablespoons Black Cumin Seed , Shahi Jeera
  • 6-8 Star Anise , Badiya Phool

No-roast Spice Blend

  • 1 Whole Nutmeg , Jayfal
  • 2 Tablespoons Green Cardamom , Chhoti Elaichi
  • 2 Tablespoons Whole Mace , Javantri
  • 5-6 Bay Leaves , Tej Patta

Instructions 

  • Heat a wok or a skillet on medium heat.
  • Add whole coriander, cumin seed, clack cumin seed, fennel seed, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, star anise, and black cardamom to the wok. Turn the heat down to low and dry roast the spices for 5 to 6 minutes while stirring continuously. Take the spices out in a bowl and set them aside to cool down.
  • Grind nutmeg, green cardamom, and mace until a fine powder forms. Take the spice blend out in a bowl.
    cardamom, mace and nutmeg for Indian garam masala.
  • Now grind all the roasted spices and bay leaves at once or in a batch until a fine powder forms.
    whole dry roasted spices for biryani masala.
  • Add the roasted spice blend into the non-roasted spice blend and mix it until well combined.
    Indian garam masala. Curry powder recipe.
  • Transfer the Biryani masala in an airtight container or a jar. Store the Biryani Masala at room temperature in a pantry, away from any moisture.
    bombay biryani masala recipe.

Video

https://feastwithsafiya.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/Biryani-Masala-Recipe.mp4

Notes

Ingredient measurements are for approximately 2 pounds Meat and 1 ½ cups Rice for Mild Spicy Biryani. Increase the quantity according to your heat tolerance level.
For Mild Bombay Biryani Masala
  • 1 teaspoon My Biryani Masala
  • 1 teaspoon Kashmiri Chili Powder
  • ½ teaspoon Turmeric Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder
  • ½ teaspoon Cumin Powder
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 1 teaspoon Amchur Powder
  • ½ teaspoon dried Fenugreek
  • 6 to 8 Dried Prunes/Plums(Aloo Bhukara) 
  • Few whole spices of your choice like, cinnamon stick, green & black cardamom, cumin seeds, caraway seeds, whole black pepper, cloves, mace, and star anise. 

Nutrition Information

Serving: 22g ,Calories: 16kcal ,Carbohydrates: 3.5g ,Protein: 0.6g ,Fat: 0.5g ,Sodium: 5mg ,Potassium: 58mg ,Fiber: 1.7g ,Sugar: 0.1g ,Calcium: 37mg

Nutrition information is sourced from a third-party application and should be considered as approximate figures for reference purposes only.

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Comments

  1. Maryam says

    October 09, 2024 at 5:53 pm

    5 stars
    Assalaamu alaikum wa rahmatullah!!
    Jazakillahu khairan! Your recipes look amazing! MashaAllah!
    I wondered if there's a substitute for the mace and nutmeg, since now there's more widespread awareness about them not being Halal.
    Keep up the beautiful work! I love your website!!

    BarikAllahu fiiki!!!

    Reply
    • FeastwithSafiya says

      October 14, 2024 at 9:15 pm

      Walaikum Assalam Wa rahmatullah, Jazakillah khair for your beautiful feedback. There are differing opinions on using mace and nutmeg. I choose to use only a small amount. Many South Asian and Middle Eastern spice blends incorporate just a hint of mace and nutmeg which is still halal to consume according to many scholars :). However, I would be happy to develop a recipe without either spice if you prefer. 🙂

  2. fauzi says

    January 17, 2023 at 3:05 am

    5 stars
    can this be used for any type of biryani? I want to cook Sindhi biryani.

    Reply
    • FeastwithSafiya says

      January 17, 2023 at 9:46 am

      Hi, yes, you can use it for any biryani. However, you'll have to adjust the quantity. You can use my Bombay Biryani masala blend recipe (in the notes) and add additional ingredients for Sindhi biryani masala, like sugar. It might take a few trials and failures to perfect the taste though. 🙂

  3. Cory says

    August 30, 2022 at 5:57 pm

    Are the 2 tablespoons of Green Cardamom and of 2 tablespoons Whole Mace measured after blending? I'm only asking because the Black Cardamom was measured whole for roasting.

    Reply
    • FeastwithSafiya says

      August 30, 2022 at 7:33 pm

      Hi Cory, all ingredients are measured as a whole. Two tablespoons each of whole mace and whole green cardamom pods. I hope this answers your questions. Let me know if you have any more questions.

  4. Anonymous says

    July 16, 2021 at 6:34 pm

    5 stars
    Amazing! Smells so nice

    Reply
5 from 4 votes (1 rating without comment)

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Hey there! I'm Safiya, the creator of Feast with Safiya. I wear many hats – I'm a mom, food photographer, and recipe developer. I'm thrilled you're here to learn about me and try out my recipes.

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