What dum pukht biryani actually is — and why we cook it in Coral Springs.

Dum pukht means cooking under a seal — steam held in so the basmati takes the marinade, the fried onion, the saffron, the meat or vegetables. That is why a proper biryani is a meal, not a side. At khana kh'zana in Coral Springs we cook chicken biryani and vegetable biryani this way, served with raita.

How to eat it

Open the pot (or the plate) and mix only as much as you will eat in the next few minutes. The rice at the bottom is wetter; the top is drier and more aromatic. Raita cools. A pickle on the side is optional. You do not need a separate curry unless you want one.

Biryani vs “rice and curry”

Jeera rice is the plain, correct starch next to butter chicken. Biryani is the main. If you order both, you will have too much rice. First-timers in Coral Springs who want a gentle plate: vegetable biryani. If you want the house version with meat: chicken biryani, $23.

The kitchen is on Sample Road. Takeout holds reasonably well; eat it the same evening. The tandoor breads you should still collect last.