Rich Mughlai ghee-bomb biryani with generous whole spices, saffron, and a balanced spice level. The Purani Dilli (Old Delhi) gully version is more robust, with hand-ground masalas and wood-fire cooking.
Delhi's biryani descends from the Mughal imperial kitchen — Shah Jahan's court is where the word 'shahi' was born. The Old Delhi gullies (Jama Masjid, Chitli Qabar, Ballimaran) preserve this lineage. Karim's, tracing itself to Mughal court cooks, is the most famous torchbearer. The technique is between Hyderabadi and Lucknowi — richer than Lucknow, less fiery than Hyderabad.
It sits exactly between Hyderabadi and Lucknowi — more assertive than Awadhi but less spicy than Deccani. The Mughal court lineage means the spice calibration is obsessively precise. Heavy on ghee and whole spices.
Fry onions in ghee until dark. Add meat, yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, masalas. Cook with water until meat is tender.
Cook with ghee and whole spices until 70% done.
Meat with gravy at bottom, rice on top. Saffron, kewra, fried onions, herbs, ghee. Seal and cook 25 min on low.
With shami kebab, phirni, and roomali roti.