How to cook on dum: seal the lid, keep the heat low and let the steam finish the dish. Every tip below comes from the biryani, karahi and nihari recipes on Zaika Worlds, with the full method on each recipe page.
Dum is cooking sealed on low heat, so the steam stays in the pot and finishes the dish. The Chicken Biryani recipe puts it plainly: the rice finishes cooking on dum, and a cloth over the lid stops the steam escaping.
From the Chicken Biryani recipe: do not over-boil the rice, because it finishes cooking on dum. Seal the lid with a cloth or foil, cook on low heat on dum for 20 minutes without opening the lid, then rest for 10 minutes off the heat. Chicken on the bone stays juicier during dum, and aged basmati gives separate grains.
From the Chicken Karahi recipe: sprinkle garam masala, cover, and give 5 minutes of dum on low heat. The chicken should be cooked through and still juicy. Do not add water to karahi: the tomatoes' own water is enough.
From the Beef Nihari recipe: cover the pot and cook on low heat for 2 hours, stirring now and then, and add hot water if the level drops below the meat. Nihari is known for its thick, glossy gravy, so add the flour slowly and stir constantly while it goes in.
Seal the lid, keep the heat low, and do not open the pot while it is on dum. Rest the dish before serving, and taste the rice water before the dum: it should taste slightly salty, because plain rice needs that seasoning.
Chicken Biryani recipe · Chicken Karahi recipe · Beef Nihari recipe