Biryani is one of the most popular South Asian dishes and has gained popularity worldwide. Although biryani is usually eaten as a meal, it can also be served as an appetizer or a snack. The dish is prepared with rice and meat. Today, there are several types of biryani recipes that have been developed by chefs all over the world.
Bangladeshi Beef Biryani Recipe for traditional Bangla-style that you can make at home. It is made from rice and meat, which can be chicken, mutton, or beef. These are cooked together, especially with spices, to make them delicious. Bangladeshi beef biryani is a classic Bengali dish always served at lunch or dinner. It’s a simple and easy recipe that can easily make at home, yet there are many variations in the recipes.
Which part of beef is best for biryani?
The best part of beef for biryani is the tenderloin because it is easy to cook and gives a very tender texture. The meat also has more fat, making the dish taste delicious.
When you want low-fat in biryani, it is best to choose the lean part of beef. Lean beef has less fat and more marbling (muscle tissue). It makes it better for biryani because it allows the meat to cook evenly, producing a tenderer dish.
Beef can be trimmed in different ways depending on your preference and use. The most common cuts are fillet, sirloin, rump, skirt steak, and chuck roll or round steak. I would suggest you trim the meat with scissors into thin strips or cubes before cooking to cook faster and not dry out too much during the cooking process.
What is the secret ingredient in biryani?
The secret ingredient in this dish is the black cardamom, which gives a sweet aroma and strong flavor to enhance the dish’s overall taste.
Black cardamom comes from India and is usually sold ground into small pieces to make tea or whole seeds, which can be found at your local Bangladeshi grocery store. You can find black cardamom at almost any supermarket worldwide, including Walmart, Whole Foods Market, Kroger, etc.

What makes biryani tasty?
Biryani is a traditional Bangladeshi dish mostly made of rice and meat. The main ingredients are basmati rice, lamb or chicken pieces, and spices.
This answer has a very detailed description of what makes biryani tasty, but I will try to keep it short of easily understanding the key points related to this question.
The taste of any food depends on how the ingredients are cooked properly. If the meat is not properly cooked, it will be tough and dry, while if the rice is not cooked properly, it will become sticky and bland tasting.
The same goes for any other ingredient in biryani, like garlic, ginger, cardamom, etc. All these spices add flavor to your dish, but they should be added at the right time and incorrect quantities so that your dish does not get overcooked or burnt during the cooking process.
What is a substitute for sour curd?
Sour curd is made from yogurt, a combination of milk and live bacteria. It is sour because it contains lactic acid bacteria that convert lactose into lactic acid. Soured milk has many health benefits, such as increased immunity and lowering cholesterol levels.
The common substitute for sour curd is buttermilk, which can be made by adding vinegar or lemon juice to milk. It makes it acidic, which helps make the whey solidify and prevents it from going bad while being stored at room temperature.
Additional tips for beef biryani recipe
1. Curd is added to biryani because it gives the dish a rich and creamy texture. It also helps bind the rice and other ingredients together, making it more moist and flavorful.
2. When you give Steam the Biryani, make sure you use a heavy bottom wok or place a thin pan underneath to avoid burning of biryani.
3. Always add ginger garlic paste while cooking as it enhances the dish’s flavor.
4. Do not use more than 1 tbsp. Of sugar in it. Because if you add more sugar, it will be sweeter to eat, which will ruin its true taste.
5. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pot with a lid. Simmer for about 20 minutes or until all the water is absorbed and the rice is cooked through.
Ingredients
For marinating beef
- Beef 1 kg
- Ginger paste 2 tbsp.
- Garlic paste 3 tbsp.
- Mace and nutmeg paste 1 tsp.
- Fried onion ½ cup
- Sour curd ¼ cup
- Sugar 1 tsp.
- Red chili powder 2 tsp.
- Turmeric powder ½ tsp.
- Cumin powder 1 tsp.
- Coriander powder 1 tsp.
- Lemon juice 2 tbsp.
- Salt to taste
For cooking beef
- Cooking oil 2 tbsp.
- Milk 1 cup
- Hot water as required
For Rice:
- Aromatic / Basmati rice ½ kg
- Bay leaf 2 pieces
- Cinnamon 3 pieces
- Cloves 3 pieces
- Black pepper 5 to 6 pieces
- Green cardamom 4 pieces
- Black cardamom 2 pieces
- Green chili 5 to 6 pieces
- Ghee 2 tbsp.
- Salt to taste
- Hot water 1 liter
For biryani
- Cooked Beef
- Cooked rice
- Ghee 1 tbsp.
- Fried onion
- Cashew nut 5 to 6 slices (optional)
- Almond 4 to 5 slices (optional)
- Raisins 4 to 5 pieces (optional)
- Rosewater 1 tsp.
- Kewra water ½ tsp.
Instructions
- Firstly, for marinating beef, take a mixing bowl and add the beef pieces; further, add all the remaining ingredients of marinated, mix well and keep it marinated for at least 40 minutes or 3 to 4 hours. It is best to keep it marinated overnight.
- Wash the rice grain with water 3 to 4 times until excess starch is washed off and the water is clear enough.
- Drain the starchy water and soak it in fresh water for 30 minutes.
- Set a wok on medium flame ghee and marinated beef stir for 10 minutes. Add milk and some hot water and cook in a medium-low flame until the beef is 95% done and the gravy leaves the oil.
- Separate the oil, remove the beef into a bowl and keep aside.
- Now, in the same wok with separated oil, add the soaked rice, stir and fry for 5 to 6 minutes.
- Add hot water and bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, green cardamom, black cardamom, green chili, salt, and ghee. Cook until it's 90% done.
- Now, over the rice, spread a layer of beef along with the masala, repeat the addition of some almond and fried onions; now, layer the remaining rice over the beef.
- Add cashew, raisins, rose water, Kewra, fried onion, and pour ghee for extra flavor.
- As the layering is done, we need to give steam by placing a lid on the wok and keeping it on a very low flame for 15 to 20 minutes.
- The beef biryani is ready to be served. Served it hot and enjoyed it with some salad and some lemon.