Dishes · Malabar food glossary
Malabar Biryani
Also known as: Thalassery biryani, Kozhikode biryani
The north-Kerala style of biryani, made with short-grain Kaima (Jeerakasala) rice rather than basmati, with a distinct layering and spicing.
Malabar biryani — most famously the Thalassery version — differs from north-Indian biryani in its rice: it uses the short, fine, aromatic Kaima (Jeerakasala) grain rather than long basmati. The rice and the meat masala are cooked separately and layered, then finished together (a process locally called dum), and the dish is crowned with fried onions, cashews and raisins.
It is milder and sweeter-spiced than Hyderabadi biryani, reflecting the Malabar palate and the region’s long Arab trade history.