There is something about opening a pot of freshly cooked biryani that makes everyone suddenly appear in the kitchen.
That first cloud of aroma. The saffron and spices. And then the moment Grandma lifts the rice with her spoon and you see those beautiful, long grains sitting separately instead of sticking together.
👵 "Biryani ka raaz masale mein hi nahi, chawal mein bhi hai, beta."
The secret of a good biryani isn't only in the spices — it's in the rice too.
We spend so much time thinking about the masala, onions, meat, vegetables and spices that it's easy to forget one of the most important ingredients in any biryani: The rice.
And when Grandma wants those impressive long, fluffy grains, Daawat Extra Long Basmati Rice is exactly the kind of rice we're talking about. Available at Curry Kart in 1kg, 5kg and 10kg packs.
👵 Grandma Says: Great Biryani Starts with the Rice
Ask ten families for their biryani recipe and you'll probably receive ten different answers. Hyderabadi biryani. Lucknowi biryani. Chicken biryani. Lamb biryani. Vegetable biryani. Even within the same family, somebody will insist their version is the proper one. 😄
But whatever recipe you follow, the rice has an important job. A beautiful biryani should have grains that remain long and separate, while absorbing the aromas of the spices and ingredients around them.
You don't want the finished biryani to look like a soft mound of rice. You want to lift the lid and see those grains.
👵 "Har dana alag dikhna chahiye."
Every grain should be visible separately.
🌾 What Makes Daawat Extra Long Basmati Rice Special?
Daawat describes its Extra Long Basmati Rice as perfectly aged basmati, grown in selected parts of Northern India.
According to Daawat, the grains can elongate considerably during cooking while remaining slender, producing the long, elegant appearance that works particularly well in dishes such as biryani.
But length isn't everything. Good basmati is also about aroma, texture and the way the grains separate after cooking. That's what creates that unmistakable biryani moment when you lift the lid and the fragrance fills the kitchen.
👵 "Pehle khushboo aani chahiye… phir sab log khud kitchen mein aa jayenge!" 😄
First comes the aroma… then everyone will find their own way into the kitchen!
🍚 Why Extra-Long Basmati Works So Well for Biryani
Biryani isn't simply rice mixed with curry. The rice needs to remain distinct enough for the layers of the dish to work — you want rice, masala and the other ingredients to come together while still retaining their individual textures.
Extra-long basmati is particularly attractive here because those elongated grains give a finished biryani its beautiful restaurant-style appearance. Scoop it gently onto a large serving dish and those long grains become part of the presentation.
And Grandma will tell you something else: beautiful biryani starts before the rice even reaches the pot.
💧 Grandma's First Biryani Secret: Rinse the Rice Gently
Don't simply pour your rice straight from the bag into the cooking pot. Rinse it gently in fresh water. The water may initially look cloudy — change it and rinse again until it becomes considerably clearer. This helps remove excess surface starch that can contribute to grains sticking together.
But there's an important word there: gently.
👵 "Basmati hai beta, kapde nahi dho rahe!" 😂
It's basmati, we're not washing clothes!
Don't aggressively rub and crush those beautiful grains you've just paid for. Treat them with a little respect.
⏰ Grandma's Second Secret: Give the Rice Time to Soak
Depending on your biryani recipe, soaking the basmati before cooking can help the grains hydrate more evenly. For many biryani recipes, around 20–30 minutes is a useful starting point. Then drain the rice carefully before cooking.
It seems like a tiny step. But biryani is often about tiny steps.
👵 "Jaldi mein biryani nahi banti."
Good biryani isn't made in a rush.
🍲 Grandma's Biggest Warning: Don't Fully Cook Your Rice!
This is where many home biryanis can go wrong. If you're making a traditional layered biryani that will continue cooking during dum, the rice generally shouldn't already be completely cooked before layering.
Why? Because it's going to continue cooking with the masala. If the rice is already completely soft before that happens, the additional cooking can leave you with overcooked or broken grains.
The precise degree of par-cooking will depend on your particular biryani recipe, so follow the method you're using rather than relying solely on the clock.
👵 "Dum mein bhi chawal ko pakna hai — yeh mat bhoolna."
Remember, the rice still has cooking to do during dum.
🥄 And Please… Stop Stirring It!
Once those beautiful long grains begin cooking, resist the temptation to constantly stir them. Too much handling can break delicate cooked basmati grains. Use a light hand when draining, layering and serving — this is particularly important when you're using extra-long rice because you actually want to preserve that length.
Grandma's wooden spoon isn't there to attack the rice. 😄
🧅 The Rice Is Only Half of a Great Biryani
Even Grandma isn't going to pretend that buying good basmati automatically creates great biryani. The onions matter. The masala matters. The herbs matter. The meat or vegetables matter. The moisture matters. And perhaps most importantly, your family's recipe matters.
Some households want their biryani fiery and intensely spiced. Others prefer something more aromatic and delicate. Some swear by potatoes. Others consider putting a potato in biryani a family scandal. 😂 We're staying out of that argument.
But whatever goes between the layers, starting with rice suited to the dish gives your biryani a strong foundation.
❤️ Daawat Extra Long Isn't Just for Biryani
Don't let the word biryani make you think this rice has to sit in the cupboard waiting for a special occasion. Daawat Extra Long Basmati also works beautifully for everyday rice dishes such as pulao, jeera rice, matar rice and simple steamed basmati served alongside dal or curry.
Tonight it might be dal and rice. Friday night, chicken curry. Sunday afternoon, somebody announces guests are coming… and suddenly the big biryani pot appears. 😄
That's why larger bags can make sense for households where rice is eaten regularly.
📦 1kg, 5kg or 10kg – Which Daawat Pack Should You Buy?
At Curry Kart, Daawat Extra Long Basmati Rice is available in three sizes from the same product page:
- 1kg — currently £3.49 (£3.49/kg) — ideal if you want to try the rice first or cook rice less frequently
- 5kg — currently £9.99 (£2.00/kg) — a useful middle ground for families who cook rice regularly
- 10kg — currently £17.99 (£1.80/kg) — the best value per kg for households where basmati is a proper pantry staple
Prices quoted are correct at the time of writing and subject to change. Please check the product page for the latest pricing.
💷 Grandma Has Another Little Secret…
If Daawat is already your family's rice — or there's a big biryani planned in the near future — this might be a rather good time to fill the rice dabba. 😉
👉 Shop Daawat Extra Long Basmati Rice — 1kg, 5kg & 10kg
👵 Grandma's Final Biryani Secret
You can have a cupboard full of spices. You can spend an hour caramelising onions. You can marinate overnight. But when that biryani finally reaches the table, the rice is still one of the stars of the dish.
Long grains. Beautiful aroma. Fluffy texture. And enough biryani for everyone to quietly come back for a second helping.
👵 "Biryani ka raaz masale mein hi nahi, chawal mein bhi hai, beta."
The secret of great biryani isn't only in the spices — it's in the rice too. ❤️
And perhaps the real test isn't whether Grandma approves. It's what happens five minutes later:
👵 "Aur biryani chahiye?"
Would you like some more biryani?
If the answer is yes, you've probably done something right. 😄
💚 Kitchen Secrets by Curry Kart
Want to know more about choosing the right rice for every occasion? Read our Basmati Rice vs Regular Rice guide — Grandma's simple guide to which rice works best for dal-chawal, pulao, biryani and more.
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