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    Home » Recipes » Biryani » Ambur Biryani

    Ambur Biryani Recipe (Star Biryani)

    Published: December 11, 2020 by Sangeetha Vel | Updated: January 7, 2023 4 Comments

    994 shares
    Jump to Recipe

    Ambur Biryani or Star Ambur Biryani is a tasty South Indian dish that is native to the Tirupattur district of Tamilnadu. This traditional and unique Seeraga samba briyani recipe has a long history from Arcot Nawab and is popularized by the Star Biryani Hotel in Ambur. And hence it is also called Star Ambur Biryani. The Seeraga samba, a South Indian rice that is cooked with chicken, chili paste, and a minimal amount of spices makes this meal unique and flavorful. This Ambur biryani is a delightful one-pot meal with raita that can be served for lunch and dinner, and parties.

    ambur chicken biriyani
    Ambur Biryani / Star Biriyani
    Jump to:
    • What is Star Ambur Biryani?
    • What is unique about Ambur Biryani?
    • Variations in Seeraga Samba Biryani
    • About this Star Ambur Biryani
    • Tips
    • Serving Suggetions
    • Related Recipes
    • Ambur Biryani video
    • 📖 Recipe
    • FAQ
    • 💬 Comments

    What is Star Ambur Biryani?

    Star Ambur biryani is a delicious non-vegetarian main course food popular in the town of Ambur, Vaniyampadi, and nearby places in Tamilnadu. Ambur biryani has got this name as the biryani was popularized by the Star biryani hotel in Ambur. The original recipe of the dish was introduced by the Nawabs of Arcot during their regime and it is now widely prepared in different hotels and places including star biryani hotels.

    Even though the technology has grown and even in villages we could see people cooking with gas and induction stoves, the star hotel still prepares this dum biryani with wood fire. And they believe that this adds a special taste to the dish. This is one of the uniqueness of the star hotel biriyani.

    As with any other biriyani, the Ambur chicken biryani recipe is very popular and prepared among the Muslim population due to the origin of the dish. But it is equally special and famous with other people from the state of Tamilnadu for its popularity and uniqueness. Usually, Ambur biriyani is cooked with either goat meat or chicken with a high meat ratio to the rice. This is also one of the differences to note about this dish.

    What is unique about Ambur Biryani?

    The uniqueness of Ambur chicken biryani is that they never use green chili and other masala powders that are used in most other briyani dishes. The whole taste of the biryani comes from the chili paste, a few whole spices, and Seeraga samba rice.

    Since there is no heavy masala or garam masala powders used, the dish is very light and easily digestible, yet without compromising the heavenly taste. Ambur briyani is cooked with the dum process like in Mughlai chicken biryani in which the rice and meat are cooked separately and put together in a dum.

    Variations in Seeraga Samba Biryani

    Seeraga Samba is special rice popular in Tamilnadu and is used to prepare different biriyani recipes around the region and in neighboring states. Since this Ambur star biryani uses Seeraga samba rice, I would like to share some of the other varieties of biryanis prepared with the same rice for you to try and enjoy.

    Each style of biryani mentioned below is prepared with this rice and it is unique in its own way. I would definitely suggest you prepare these delicious dishes and enjoy yourself with your family whenever you get a chance.

    I have posted the recipe for Mutton Biryani which is a typical Tamilnadu special briyani that turned out really soft and aromatic. In addition to that below are some of the other south Indian biryanis that use seeraga samba rice for the preparation.

    • Tamilnadu special Seeraga samba briyani with chicken
    • Bangalore Donne biryani
    • Thalassery Chicken Biryani
    • Thalapakatti Chicken Biryani

    About this Star Ambur Biryani

    The recipe that I have shared here is a classic Ambur star biriyani but with slight modification. I cooked the chicken and rice in the same pot instead of cooking them separately. This enhances the aroma of the chicken and rice altogether. Then once the rice is cooked to 70%, I simmered the heat to low and cook for another 15 minutes with the lid closed.

    For the spice, I have taken 10 dry red chilies and soaked them in hot water for about 10 minutes. Then l ground it into a fine smooth paste. If you feel that the number of chilis used here for the recipe is too much for your spice level, feel free to reduce it to your taste. Apart from using chili paste and a few whole spices, no other masala powder is used here.

    I also added ¼ cup of white onion slices after sauteing purple onions, garlic paste, and ginger paste which helps to intensify the aroma of biryani. Since I ran out of purple onions at home, I used white onions as a replacement. So you could either use white or purple onion. And I believe it wouldn't alter the taste.

    Tips

    I used a rice water ratio of 1:1 for this recipe and soaked the rice for 30 minutes. This helps us to achieve a nice and fluffy biryani. I would advise you to stick to this ratio as the chicken would also release a lot of water while it's cooked.

    The traditional Ambur star biriyani recipe uses only Seeraga samba rice and it is better to stick with the rice for this biriyani to get an authentic taste. But it should not stop you from trying this with basmati rice if you don't have Seeraga samba rice handy. But expect to see the difference in taste if you choose to go with Basmati rice.

    Serving Suggetions

    This special Ambur chicken biryani / Star biriyani recipe delivers a soft and moist hotel-style briyani that you will definitely love and enjoy. Typically this star biriyani is served with brinjal curry, dalcha, salna, and raita in restaurants. But you could also enjoy it with Pepper chicken, Chicken Sukka, Andhra Chilli Chicken, Chettinad Chicken, Chicken Fry, and Chicken Chintamani which are special chicken dishes that go very well with this briyani. And I am sure you will not regret it.

    Related Recipes

    You could also find similar recipes below and more under Chicken and Biryani recipes.

    • Chicken Biryani
    • Mughlai Biryani
    • Mutton Biryani
    • Fish Biryani
    • Shrimp Biryani
    • Vegetable Biryani
    • Mushroom Biryani
    • Biryani Rice (Kuska Rice)

    Looking for different chicken recipes to cook for your next meal or a party? Then you could also check this collection of Biryani Recipes and Indian Chicken Dry and Semi Gravy Recipes to accompany your main dish and to enjoy with your family and loved ones.

    Ambur Biryani video

    In the video below I have shared the detailed instructions of Ambur Biryani recipe and I believe it will help you to make this authentic and delicious dish at home. For a quick reference, you could also find the recipe in story format.

    Vided of Ambur Biryani | Star Biryani

    📖 Recipe

    ambur chicken briyani

    Ambur Biryani

    Ambur biryani or Star Ambur biryani recipe is an authentic, unique, flavorful, delicious meal introduced by Arcot Nawab during their regime in Tamilnadu, South India. This unique and delicious meal prepared with Chicken and seeraga sambar rice can be served for lunch, dinner, or for parties.
    5 from 5 votes
    Author: Sangeetha Vel
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    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: South Indian
    Diet: Halal
    Prep: 10 mins
    Cook: 40 mins
    Adjust 3 servings

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 1½ cup Seeraga Samba Rice, soaked for 30 minutes
    • 2.25 lb Chicken, cleaned & cut (½ kg - 1 kg is ideal)
    • ¼ cup Oil
    • 2 tbsp Ghee
    • 2 Onion, thinly sliced
    • 2 Tomato, chopped
    • 2 tbsp Onion, chopped
    • 1 Bay Leaf
    • 3 Cinnamon Stick, small
    • 5 Cloves
    • 8 Cardamom
    • 2 tsp Garlic paste
    • 2 tsp Ginger paste
    • 10 Dry Red Chili paste, soaked & grind
    • ½ tsp Turmeric Powder
    • Salt, as needed
    • ¼ cup Curd
    • ¼ cup Coriander Leaves
    • ¼ cup Mint Leaves
    • 1½ cup Water
    More on Measurements & Conversions »
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    To Prepare Ambur Chicken Biryani

    • In a wide bottom pan with medium heat, pour oil, ghee and add bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cloves, cardamom, and saute until it turns aromatic
      add spices in oil
    • Now add thinly sliced onions and saute until it is caramelized. Caramelizing the onions gives a rich aroma to the biryani
      add onion and saute
    • Add garlic paste and saute until it turns fragrant
      adding garlic paste
    • Now add ginger paste and saute until the raw aroma leaves
      adding ginger paste and sauteing
    • Add 2 tbsp of thinly sliced onion and tomato to the above mixture and saute until the tomatoes turn mushy. Adding a small portion of onion along with tomatoes gives a creamy texture and good flavor to the biryani
      adding tomato and sauteing
    • Now add the dry red chili paste, turmeric powder, salt and saute until raw chili paste aroma leaves
      adding chili paste and mixing
    • Add the cut and cleaned chicken pieces to the chili gravy and mix them well until the masala coat evenly
      adding chicken and combining
    • Cook the chicken for about 5 to 7 minutes until it leaves water
      boiling chicken
    • Now add curd, coriander leaves, and mint leaves and mix everything well
      adding coriander, mint, curt and mixing
    • Close the pan with the lid and cook the chicken for about 10 minutes
      closing pan and cooking
    • Open the lid and add water to the above gravy and allow it to boil
      adding water
    • Now add the soaked Seeraga samba rice and mix well
      adding seeraga samba rice
    • Cook the rice until it is 70 % done
      mixing rice and cooking
    • Now close the pan with the lid and cook for 15 minutes. Make sure to keep the flame low heat to avoid over cooking
      closing pan and cooking
    • Open the lid and gently fluff the biryani. The chicken biriyani is ready for you to taste and enjoy
      cooked biryani

    To Serve

    • Serve this delicious Ambur special chicken biryani with curd raita, chicken salna, or any non-veg curry of your choice
      serving ambur chicken biryani

    Video

    Notes

    • The uniqueness of this dish is that the chili paste is used as the main ingredient. And it doesn't need any masala powders compared to other biryani dishes. But if the chili count feels too hot to your taste, feel free to reduce it
    • Traditionally, Ambur biryani is prepared with Seeraga samba or Jeeraga samba rice which gives the best taste and authentic flavor to the dish. But you could also try basmati rice if you do not have Seeraga samba rice handy
    • I have used the rice water ratio of 1:1 for this recipe and the rice was soaked for about 30 minutes
    • Make sure to stick with this ratio as the chicken would leave additional water while it is cooked
    • To prepare the chili paste, soak the dry red chilies in hot water until it turns soft and grinds into a smooth paste

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1serving | Calories: 705kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 55g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 12g | Monounsaturated Fat: 25g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 148mg | Sodium: 134mg | Potassium: 748mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1176IU | Vitamin C: 24mg | Calcium: 148mg | Iron: 4mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @yellowchilis or tag #yellowchilis!

    FAQ

    What is Ambur Biryani?

    Ambur Biryani is an authentic Tamilnadu special dish prepared with Seeraga samba rice along with chili paste being the main ingredients. This biryani was introduced by Nawabs of Arcot to the people in the Ambur and Vaniyambadi region during their regime.

    What is special about Ambur biryani?

    The uniqueness of the Ambur biryani is that it uses only red chili paste and few whole spices along with meat and Seeraga samba rice to achieve the great flavor and taste of this biryani. And it doesn't use typical spices used in other kinds of biryani recipes.

    Is Ambur Briyani healthy?

    Ambur biryani never uses green chili, heavy garam masala powders like other biryanis. Hence it is very light and easily digestible. But always having any food in moderation is key to healthy living.

    Can I make this recipe in Pressure Cooker?

    Yes, you can make this recipe in a pressure cooker following the same process. But do not expect the whistle, when you are cooking it in the low heat.

    I really hope you enjoyed the recipe and I would love to hear from you on how it turned out for you. Please let me know.

    If you have any other questions, feel free to post them in the comment section below and I will try to get back to you as soon as possible.

    Happy Cooking!

    Related Recipes:

    South Indian Mutton Biryani In Seeraga Samba RiceMutton Biryani Recipe (Lamb Biryani) Output of Shrimp/Prawn Biryani, Eral BiriyaniPrawn Biryani Recipe (Shrimp Biryani) south indian chicken biryaniChicken Biryani Recipe output one pot vegetable dum biryaniVegetable Biryani Recipe (Veg Biryani)
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Shyam Karthick

      September 06, 2021 at 2:24 pm

      hello - the procedure looks close enough to actual Ambur biriyani, but please update your recipe to show the amount of rice in grams.

      1 cup of seeraga samba rice is only about ~225 gms of rice, so the 1.5 cups of rice is not going to be enough for 1 kg of chicken.
      These recipes are only useful if you can clarify what your measurements are.

      thanks!

      Reply
      • Sangeetha Vel

        September 06, 2021 at 6:37 pm

        Hi Shyam,
        Thanks for your visit and feedback. 1 and a half cups of rice is enough for 3 adults in our family and if you look at the number of chicken pieces used, it is roughly 8 or so which is ideal for us. Even though it is widely said that 1:1 chicken and rice ratio to be more appropriate, the ratio that I have used works best for us. So, it is purely a personal choice I guess. On the quantity, I have updated the amount of chicken to be used for this quantity of rice. And in the future, I will try my best to give as detailed information as possible. Thanks again!

        Reply
    2. Shilpa

      June 08, 2021 at 3:48 am

      Thanks for the recipe! Good recipe, well written and it's pretty detailed. I was craving for south Indian biryani and found this link in google. Tried the biryani today, it turned out amazingly good. My toddler who isn't fond of Indian food, loved the biryani.

      Reply
      • Sangeetha Vel

        June 08, 2021 at 9:24 am

        Hi Shilpa,
        Thank you for your visit and passing on your feedback. Great to know that the biryani turned out amazing to you. And I am really happy that your toddler enjoyed this biryani as well.. My high-five to the kid 🙂

        Reply

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    Hi, I'm Sangeetha Vel! the author, recipe researcher, creator, and cooking hands behind Yellow Chili's. A realistic, friendly, empathetic, and enthusiastic foodie who loves to share authentic, easy, quick, healthy, instant, and kids-approved recipes.

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