How to Make Bengaluru-Style Chicken Donne Biryani at Home

Chicken Donne Biryani is one of Bengaluru’s most iconic dishes. It takes its name from the donne, a cup or bowl made from dried palm leaves in which this biryani is traditionally served at military hotels and small eateries across the city. The biryani itself is distinct from both Hyderabadi and Lucknowi styles. It uses jeera samba rice, a short-grained aromatic rice native to South India, and gets its characteristic greenish hue and bold flavour from a freshly ground paste of coriander, mint, green chillies, ginger and garlic.

Unlike layered biryanis, Donne Biryani is cooked more in the style of a pulao where the chicken and rice are cooked together in the masala and stock. The result is a deeply spiced, slightly sticky and wonderfully aromatic biryani that is best eaten hot with onion raita, a boiled egg and a squeeze of lemon.

Bengaluru-style Chicken Donne Biryani made with Zorabian Chicken Curry Cut and jeera samba rice served on a banana leaf plate with boiled egg, raita, lemon wedges and fresh mint

Chicken Donne Biryani Recipe

Serves: 4
Prep time: 20 minutes (plus 30 minutes marinating and soaking)
Cook time: 45 minutes
Total time: Approximately 1 hour 35 minutes

Ingredients

For the chicken and rice:

  • 700g Chicken Curry Cut (bone-in pieces)
  • 2 cups jeera samba rice (seeraga samba rice), washed and soaked for 30 minutes
  • 3 cups water

For the marinade:

• 3 tbsp plain yoghurt, whisked
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp red chilli powder

For the green masala paste:

• 1 cup fresh coriander leaves and tender stems
• 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
• 2 tbsp fresh fenugreek leaves (methi) or 1 tsp dried kasuri methi
• 6 to 8 green chillies (adjust to taste)
• 8 to 10 cloves garlic
• 2 inch piece fresh ginger
• 2 tbsp water (for grinding)

For cooking:

  • • 3 tbsp ghee
    • 2 tbsp peanut oil or vegetable oil
    • 2 medium onions, finely sliced
    • 2 medium tomatoes, finely chopped
    • 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
    • 1 tsp biryani masala or meat masala
    • 1 tsp ground coriander
    • 1/2 tsp black pepper powder
    • Salt to taste
    • 1 tbsp lemon juice
    • 2 bay leaves
    • 1 small cinnamon stick
    • 4 cloves
    • 3 green cardamom pods
    • 1 black cardamom
    • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds

For serving:

• 2 to 3 tbsp ghee (to finish)
• Boiled eggs, onion raita, sliced onion and lemon wedges

Steps

  1. Wash the jeera samba rice thoroughly and soak it in cold water for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, combine the chicken pieces with yoghurt, turmeric, red chilli powder and salt. Mix well and leave to marinate for at least 30 minutes.
  3. Make the green masala paste. Place the coriander, mint, fenugreek leaves, green chillies, garlic and ginger in a blender with 2 tablespoons of water. Grind to a smooth, fine paste. Set aside.
  4. Heat the ghee and oil together in a large heavy-bottomed pot or kadai over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, cloves, green cardamom and black cardamom. Sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  5. Add the sliced onions and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until they turn golden brown.
  6. Add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for 1 minute. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for 4 to 5 minutes until they soften and the oil begins to separate.
  7. Add the biryani masala, ground coriander and black pepper powder. Stir well and cook for 1 minute.
  8. Add the marinated chicken pieces and mix well to coat with the masala. Cook over medium-high heat for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until the chicken is seared and changes colour on all sides.
  9. Add the green masala paste to the pot. Stir well to combine it with the chicken and masala. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes over medium heat until the raw smell of the paste disappears and the oil begins to separate slightly from the sides.
  10. Add 3 cups of water and salt to taste. Bring to a boil over high heat. Taste the water and adjust the salt. It should taste slightly saltier than you want the final biryani to taste as the rice will absorb it.
  11. Drain the soaked jeera samba rice and add it to the pot. Stir gently once to distribute the rice and chicken evenly. Add the lemon juice. Bring to a boil over high heat.
  12. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and cook on high heat for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 18 to 20 minutes until the rice is fully cooked and the water is absorbed. Do not open the lid during this time.
  13. Turn off the heat. Drizzle 2 to 3 tablespoons of ghee over the top and cover for 5 minutes to allow the steam to settle and the ghee to melt into the rice.
  14. Gently mix the biryani from the bottom and serve hot in bowls with boiled eggs, onion raita, sliced onion and lemon wedges.

Tips for Best Results:

Jeera samba rice is essential for an authentic Donne Biryani. It is a short-grained aromatic rice that absorbs the masala beautifully and gives the biryani its characteristic texture and aroma. Basmati can be used as a substitute but the result will be different.
Do not skip the fenugreek leaves in the green masala paste. They give the paste a slightly bitter, earthy quality that is characteristic of the Bengaluru military hotel style. Even a small amount makes a noticeable difference.
The green masala paste must be cooked until the raw smell disappears completely before adding the water. Rushing this step will leave the biryani tasting raw and sharp.
Taste the cooking water before adding the rice and make sure it is well seasoned. This is the only opportunity to season the rice as you cannot add salt after the lid goes on.
The finishing ghee added after cooking is not optional. It is what gives Donne Biryani its richness and that characteristic aroma. Use good quality ghee.
Serve immediately while hot. Donne Biryani is best eaten fresh. Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days and reheated on the stovetop with a splash of water.

Chicken Donne Biryani is a dish that carries the spirit of Bengaluru’s street food culture in every bite. The bold green masala, the short-grained rice and the generous finish of ghee make it completely unlike any other biryani you have tried. Once you make it at home you will understand why queues form outside Bengaluru’s military hotels every morning for a serving of this.

Order Zorabian’s Chicken Curry Cut from shop.zorabian.com and try this recipe at home.

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