The king of rice dishes – The Biryani, now made Keto
It’s no-guilt biryani time! Say hello to cauliflower rice Keto Biryani. If you are a desi boy or a desi girl then you’ve probably had a craving for biryani and been saving it up for one of your cheat days. I’ve got this slamming recipe for Keto chicken biryani which will save you a cheat day and satisfy all your rice cravings.
Kacchi Biryani and Pakki Biryani
When it comes to Biryani, I personally prefer mutton over chicken. I’m not sure why I made chicken but it might have something to do with the cooking time. Biryani can be made the way I’ve shown you, everything in one pot which is known as Kacchi Biryani. It can also be made separately, where the meat is cooked on it’s own, the rice separately as well and then it’s assembled together. This is called Pakki Biryani. In a carb filled world I would only choose Kachi Biryani. On keto, especially if cooking mutton, I’d go with Pakki. The reason being mutton needs to be cooked for 45-60 minutes on average and cauliflower rice needs all of 15 minutes or maybe 20 at best to cook. Hence the choice. Anyway enjough jibber jabber, enjoy the recipe.
I also realize that this is a rather elaborate dish and it does take some time and it’s a labour of love. However, if you want something that’s similar, but easier to make, I have just the dish for you. I would recommend that you try my Keto chicken pualo recipe. It’s far simpler to make but yields a dish that’s full of flavour. Of course, a Biryani, is a biryani and a pulao, a pulao.
Nutrition Info (Per serving)
- Calories: 427
- Net Carbs: 6g
- Carbs: 9g
- Fat: 18g
- Protein: 59g
- Fiber: 3g
Recipe makes 4 servings. Get this recipe on myfitnesspal.
- 1 Chicken cut curry style
- 500 grams Cauliflower (Riced)
- 2 tbsp Ghee I recommend this one
- 100 grams Yoghurt
- 2 tbsp Coriander Paste
- 1 tbsp Handful of fresh mint leaves
- 1/2 tbsp Tumeric I recommend this one
- 1/2 tbsp Red Chilli Powder I use this
- 1/2 tbsp Coriander Powder I recommend this one
- 1/2 tbsp Garam Masala I recommend this one
- 1/2 tbsp Cumin Powder I recommend this one
- 1/2 Lime juice
- Salt
- 1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste I recommend this one
- Onion Fried
- Pinch of Saffron Buy Saffron Online
- a few drops of Kewra Buy Kewra Online
- a few drops of Shahi Biryani liquid Buy Shahi Biryani Essence Online
- Melted Butter
- Marinate the chicken overnight with 1 tbsp ghee, yorghurt, coriander paste, fresh mint leaves, salt, ginger garlic paste and all the spices.
- Pour some ghee into the biryani handi.
- Layer the chicken and then the rice.
- Top with the fried onions, saffron soaked in warm water, fresh mint and coriander, kewra and shahhi biryani liquid.
- Cook on a low flame for 20-25 minutes till the chicken is cooked through
- Serve with a tablespoon of butter to up the fat content 🙂
Kewra, keora or kewda is an extract distilled from the flower of the pandanus plant. This along with the Shahi biryani liquid are both optional.
34 Comments
Salima
January 10, 2018 at 10:54 pmOh have had such a craving for biryani!! Quick question to make it dairy free can coconut milk be substituted for the yogurt?
Sahil Makhija
January 12, 2018 at 4:37 amYes you can do that, it will have a slightly different flavour but that will also work for sure.
Salima
January 13, 2018 at 12:44 amThank you so much!
Farhana Sultana Karim
January 11, 2018 at 1:27 amReally a simple but a delicious recipe!!! Will give it a try on coming weekend!!
Salima
January 26, 2018 at 1:03 amHi Sahil. Made this today and the taste was delicious. The only thing that there was a lot of liquid after the biryani was cooked. I boiled it off, but any suggestions on why this happened? Thx 🙂
Sahil Makhija
January 26, 2018 at 11:14 amWater in the meat, perhaps the yoghurt itself.
Salima
January 26, 2018 at 11:32 pmThanks for the reply 🙂
Walosi
February 25, 2018 at 2:46 amI just discovered your blog. FINALLY REAL FOOD I CAN EAT! Thank you so much, Chef Makhija! Rock on!
Sahil Makhija
February 26, 2018 at 9:44 amThanks, you are too kind 🙂
Anonymous
February 28, 2018 at 1:53 pmHi Sahil,
Thanks for all the great recipes. My husband has just been diagnosed with stage 3 lymphoma and he wanted to try the keto diet along with chemo. Your recipes are a savior for me who only knew how to make basic Indian food. You have been an angel in disguise.
Thanks again for your efforts and keep posting new recipes.
Mar
December 12, 2019 at 3:03 pmHow is he now? I will make this tonight.
Vanessa V
March 7, 2018 at 4:17 amJust wanted to say… we made this tonight, and it was… AMAZING. My boyfriend and I both took our first bite and said “oh yea.. this is Biryani!”
We had missed Biryani so much, but we won’t miss it after trying and your recipe. We even made a keto Raita with yogurt, cucumber, mint, coriander, and a little curry powder.
Pleas continue doing what you do!
Sahil Makhija
March 7, 2018 at 7:05 amSo glad to hear that, thank you!
Gaurav Sinha
May 19, 2018 at 9:57 pmHi Sahil, what do you suggest on the water that the chicken creates under the rice? I just kept cooking after popping the lid open after 30 min for an additional 30 min.
Sahil Makhija
May 29, 2018 at 12:25 pmJust keep it open from the start then or remove the rice and cook the gravy down. Or you could cook the chicken and add the rice half way through the cooking.
Kyme
July 26, 2018 at 11:49 pmIf I just cook the chicken first, and then add the cauliflower halfway through cooking, when do I add the saffron, mint and coriander leaves, kewra, and fried onions? Would I add that when I add the cauliflower?
Sahil Makhija
July 27, 2018 at 2:33 amYes I would add that to the cauliflower.
Margaret
August 6, 2018 at 10:17 pmI’m sorry, but I don’t understand the instruction: Pour some ghee into the biryani handi. Is it pan? I think so. Thanks
Sahil Makhija
August 8, 2018 at 3:29 pmYes it is.
Margaret
August 6, 2018 at 11:37 pmSuggestions for cooking in instant pot?
Sherry
August 24, 2018 at 3:40 amWhere can I find the specialty products? Kewra for example and shahi biryani? Can’t find them and dying to make this
Sahil Makhija
August 27, 2018 at 8:33 amI’ve linked them in the recipe box to the purchase links on amazon
Bahisht
August 30, 2018 at 5:36 pmHi- please clarify if yogurt is ok in keto? It’s been a month I hv been on keto n since day one I hv been told yogurt is a big no! Also tell about tamarind paste 1Tbsp is ok in keto? Please reply both queries.
Sahil Makhija
September 5, 2018 at 10:39 amYogurt outside India normally refers to these flavoured ones which are full of sugar. In India normal DAHI is fine in limited quantities. If you live outside Indian you want full fat Greek yogurt. Tamrind is best avoided on Keto. Maybe 1 Tsp in a curry that serves 4 people will not be an issue but if you can skip it, then do that.
alex
November 18, 2018 at 8:41 amRecipe looks good , but based on the nutrition info provided by you ,this is not Keto as its high in protein and low in Fats .
Sahil Makhija
November 19, 2018 at 5:16 pmHi Alex, I think you are a bit confused about this because a dish doesn’t need to have a high fat content to be Keto. Your fat can come from adding a tablespoon of olive oil over your serving, drinking a bullet proof coffee in the morning or even having a fat bomb after this meal. Your body will remain in Ketosis after eating this dish, that is what makes it Keto. If you consume more protein through the day and possible go way way way over your daily macros then perhaps you will see an issue with remaining in Ketosis. When your body finds itself short on fat, then it turns to body fat for energy.
Val
July 1, 2019 at 1:15 pmArtificial liquid flavor? I think you can do better, do you?!
Sahil Makhija
July 2, 2019 at 2:38 amYou can skip it if you want. It’s perfectly safe to use and doesn’t really have any impact on your health if that’s what worries you.
keval amin
July 14, 2019 at 10:53 amIf you have too much liquid bubbling, check the amount of liquid by making a hole on the side of pan, if too much, you spoon a slightly bigger hole, it will fill with the liquid, and you can turn the high heat on over that area and boil away excess liquid, you even get slight crispy cauliflower from this.
T-bone
August 5, 2019 at 5:41 pmMade this today and its absolutely worth the effort. Tastes delicious!
Misty
January 23, 2020 at 6:28 amHi,
Can we make a keto fish biryani? if so can you put up a recipe for that?
Thanks a lot for being a lifesaver and posting such yummy recipes. Rock on!!!
Sahil Makhija
January 23, 2020 at 3:57 pmSounds like a nice idea. I might give it a go.
Ronald
February 28, 2020 at 8:42 pmHey Sahil,
Instead of dutch pan, can I make it with rice cooker?
Sahil Makhija
February 29, 2020 at 3:38 amI guess you could. I’ve never done it myself so I don’t know.