Lagan

A lagan (also called a biryani handi or aluminum brazier) is a wide, shallow, heavy-duty cooking pot traditionally used in Indian and Pakistani kitchens for making dum biryani, slow-cooked curries, and other dishes that require even heat distribution across a large surface area. Unlike a degh, which is tall and narrow-mouthed for trapping steam vertically, a lagan is wider and shallower, giving you more surface contact with the heat source and making it easier to layer rice and meat for biryani preparation. Every lagan in our collection is made from extra heavy-duty aluminum with a thick bottom, comes with a matching lid, and is built for daily commercial kitchen use.

Available Sizes

We carry biryani lagans across a wide range of capacities to match any kitchen volume. For smaller batches and daily prep, the size #13 (9 qt) and size #15 (13 qt) work well for single-table orders or small catering jobs. The size #17 (17 qt) and size #19 (23 qt) are popular mid-range options for restaurants running biryani as a regular menu item. For high-volume restaurants, catering kitchens, and banquet operations, the size #21 (30 qt), 38 qt handi lagan, and size #25 (55 qt) handle large-batch production for events and busy weekend service.

6mm vs 8mm Thickness

Most of our lagans are built with 6mm thick aluminum walls and bottom, which is the standard for commercial kitchen use. For our largest size (#25, 55 qt), we also offer an 8mm thick version for kitchens that cook at very high heat daily and need extra durability and heat retention. A thicker bottom holds heat more evenly and resists warping over time, which matters when you are cooking multiple batches of biryani back to back during peak service.

Lagan vs Degh: What is the Difference

Both lagans and deghs are used for biryani, but they have different shapes for different cooking styles. A lagan is wide and shallow, giving you a larger cooking surface and making it ideal for layering biryani in thin, even layers where the rice and meat cook together with maximum contact. A degh is tall with a narrow mouth, designed to trap steam and build pressure for dum-style cooking where layers are stacked deeper. Many biryani restaurants keep both in their kitchen, using lagans for Hyderabadi-style layered biryani and deghs for Lucknowi or Kolkata-style dum biryani. Browse our biryani degh collection to compare.

Beyond Biryani

While lagans are built for biryani, their wide, flat shape and even heat distribution make them useful for a range of other cooking tasks. Indian restaurants commonly use lagans for slow-cooking nihari, making haleem, preparing large batches of curry or gravy, cooking whole goat legs, and even kneading and cooking large batches of dough. The flat, wide base and heavy-duty construction make them one of the most versatile pots in a commercial Indian kitchen.

Need help choosing the right size for your kitchen? Contact us at sales@nishienterprise.com or call (732) 790-0199.