Biryani Masala

Biryani Masala is a deeply earthy spice blend—i.e., a masala—that is traditional throughout South Asia. This complicated blend features the floral pepper of green cardamom and ginger and the smoke and attitude of black cardamom. It has coriander’s gentle citrus and anise’s sweet licorice. Cinnamon and cloves provide their woodsy bouquet. Camphoraceous mace and bay leaf lift the fragrance and flavor of this blend to the skies while cumin and turmeric root it to the ground. This mesmerizing blend is exquisitely balanced, and we blend it in small batches in our facility to protect quality and freshness in this and all of our products.

Biryani was associated with the Mughal Empire's royal courts, so it was thought of as a treat fit for an emperor. But it’s a dish that has humble roots, rising out of pulao, a proto-pilaf first developed by Persian Muslims and was common from India to Spain. The word "biryani", pronounced "beer-YAWN-ee", is almost certainly a word of Persian origin. Some people think the name comes from the Persian word birinj, which means “rice”. Others argue that the name comes from the Persian word birian, which means “fried before cooking”. In either of the word origins and in the origins of the dish, it’s clear that there was significant Persian influence in the Mughal empire, carried in by bureaucrats and tradespeople who traveled with the Mughals through India.

Tips From Our Kitchen

You can, of course, use our Biryani Masala to make Chicken Biryani and enjoy this blend for its traditional purpose. Use in a yogurt marinade for chicken thighs; if you don’t want to make a full biryani recipe, the thighs will still be excellent done on the grill. It is a wonderful seasoning for kebabs, and its complex flavor would easily work on hearty meat like lamb. Try it on a richly flavored fish like perch or red snapper. Toss this blend over eggplant and grill, or toss with melted butter over sliced carrots and roast. Mix with tahini and lemon to drizzle over cooked meats, or whisk that into a vinaigrette and put more salad into your life. Use as a flavor base for a fragrant Indian stew with potatoes and coconut milk, or toss with chickpeas and bake until crispy for savory and addictive chana.

Blended from paprika, salt, cumin, coriander, garlic, cardamom, cayenne, turmeric, anise seed, nutmeg, ginger, black cardamom, mace, black peppercorns, ground star anise, bay leaves, cinnamon, and cloves.

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