Biryani Masala substitute

Substitutes for Biryani Masala with ratios

1. 2Whole spices bloomed in ghee (the traditional route)

   Different texture

   Per 2 cups dry basmati, in place of 1 to 1 ½ tbsp biryani masala: 1 bay leaf + 3 green cardamom pods + 1 black cardamom pod + 1-inch cinnamon stick + 4 cloves + 1 star anise + 1 tsp cumin seeds + 1 tsp fennel seeds

   The way biryani was made before packet masala existed, using whole spices fried in fat.

   What changes

   Best for

   the best-tasting biryani you can make at home, biryani where you want a clean-tasting rice layer, cooks who have whole spices but no ground blend, pulao and yakhni-style rice

   This tastes better than any packet, because whole spices bloomed in hot ghee release aromatics that ground powder has already lost to the jar. It also keeps the rice grains white and separate rather than staining them brown. The tradeoff is that diners will meet whole cardamom pods and cloves on the plate, which some people dislike, so either warn them or tie the spices in a small muslin bundle and lift it out before layering. Fry them for 30 seconds only, until fragrant, not until dark.

2. 3Garam masala on its own

   Close match

   Use the same amount by volume

   The single-jar answer, sharing most of biryani masala's spices in slightly different proportions.

   What changes

   Best for

   any biryani or pulao, weeknight cooking, meat marinades, when the recipe only calls for a teaspoon or two

   Completely acceptable, and honestly what a lot of home cooks in India use anyway. The character shift is subtle rather than dramatic: garam masala is more clove and black-pepper forward and lacks the fennel and star anise, so the finished biryani smells warmer and more compact, less floral and festive. It can also taste slightly more pungent, so if your garam masala is a strong homemade one, start with three quarters of the quantity and add more at the end.

3. 4Homemade biryani masala ground from whole spices

   Close match

   1 tbsp coriander seeds + 2 tsp cumin seeds + 1 tsp fennel seeds + 8 green cardamom pods + 1 black cardamom + 2-inch cinnamon + 6 cloves + 1 star anise + 1 tsp black peppercorns + 1 blade mace + 2 bay leaves + ½ tsp nutmeg; dry-roast, grind, use 1:1

   The blend made properly from scratch, which takes about ten minutes including roasting.

   What changes

   Best for

   cooking biryani often enough to justify a jar, controlling the heat and salt yourself, gifting or batch cooking, getting a fresher, stronger aroma than any packet

   Noticeably better than a supermarket blend, because commercial biryani masalas skimp on cardamom and mace, which are the expensive components, and pad with coriander and salt. Dry-roast everything except the nutmeg over low heat until it smells fragrant, about 3 minutes, cool completely, then grind. It keeps about three months in a sealed jar before the cardamom fades. Many recipes also add 1 teaspoon of dried mint and a pinch of dried rose petals, and both are worth including for a Hyderabadi-style biryani.

4. 5Curry powder

   Different taste

   Use ⅔ of the amount called for, plus ½ tsp garam masala for every tablespoon of biryani masala

   A workable emergency swap that changes both the colour and the character of the dish.

   What changes

   Best for

   when it is the only Indian spice blend in the cupboard, one-pot rice dishes, vegetable biryani, cooks outside India with a limited shop

   This will feed people, but be clear about the two changes. First, colour: curry powder is turmeric-heavy, so the rice turns uniformly yellow rather than showing the white, saffron-gold and brown layers biryani is meant to have. Second, flavour: turmeric and fenugreek make it taste of curry, earthy and slightly bitter, where biryani should taste perfumed. Using two thirds of the quantity keeps the turmeric from dominating, and the garam masala restores some of the warm sweetness.

5. 6Chinese five spice

   Different taste

   ⅓ of the amount called for

   The least-bad last resort, and only because it shares star anise, cinnamon and cloves.

   What changes

   Best for

   absolute emergencies, small quantities in a marinade, dishes with plenty of other seasoning

   Listed honestly rather than enthusiastically. Five spice overlaps with biryani masala on three spices, but it is dominated by star anise and fennel and contains Sichuan pepper, so at full strength the rice tastes distinctly Chinese and slightly numbing. At one third strength, alongside plenty of onion, ginger, garlic, yoghurt and fresh coriander, it passes as generically warm and spiced. If you have any single whole spices at all, the whole-spice route above is far better than this.

6. 7Ground cumin plus coriander and cinnamon, the three-jar version

   Different taste

   Per 1 tbsp biryani masala: 1 ½ tsp ground coriander + 1 tsp ground cumin + ½ tsp ground cinnamon + ¼ tsp ground cardamom + ⅛ tsp ground cloves

   The blend approximated from the spices most kitchens genuinely have.

   What changes

   Best for

   a bare spice cupboard, chicken or vegetable biryani, seasoning the meat marinade, cooks who want to avoid buying another jar

   Surprisingly close, because cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cardamom and clove are the load-bearing spices in any biryani blend. What you miss is the fennel, mace and star anise, so the result smells more like an everyday curry and less like a celebration dish. If you can add even 1/8 teaspoon of ground fennel or one crushed star anise point, do, because that is the aroma most people associate with restaurant biryani.