Biryani, a spiced rice dish is a very popular dish in the Indian cuisine. Made in a number of styles and variations, this dish has seen an acceptance worldwide. In India, based on the region you are in, you could be eating the Hyderabadi Dum Biryani, Awadhi Biryani, Lucknowi Biryani, Sindhi Biryani, Kolkatta Biryani, Ambur Biryani, Bombay Biryani - you get the idea! We have so many varieties! Plus it has the meat variants and the vegetarian or the eggitarian versions. This is usually served with raita (yogurt salad). In Hyderabad, they also give you the mirchi ka salan (green chilly curry) to go with it.
I've tried making this dish multiple times at home, but it was never perfect. My fourth attempt at this dish was a huge success and from then on, its been a cakewalk! Here is the recipe from my successful attempt and I hope you enjoy making it as much as I did!
Recipe:
Ingredient:
To make the Biryani Masala:
Oil - 6 tsp
Salt - to taste
Biryani Powder (Badshah) - 2 tsp
Pepper corns - 6
Ginger - 1 in (grated)
Garlic - 3 cloves (grated)
Green chillies -3 (chopped)
Kasuri methi - 1/2 cup (optional)
Yogurt - 2 cups
Mint leaves - 2
Vegetarian Version:
Potato - 2 (chopped into cubes)
Carrot - 3 (chopped medium size)
Green Beans - 10 (chopped medium size)
Cauliflower - 7 florets (medium)
Green Peas - 0.5 cup
Onion - 1/2 (chopped)
Soy Beans (Meal Maker)- 1/2 cup (optional)
Eggitarian Variation:
Egg - 4 (boiled)
To make the rice:
Rice - 1 cup
Bay leaves - 1
Salt - to taste
Water for boiling
For layering:
Coriander Leaves - 1/2 cup (chopped)
Onion - 1/2 (cut into long slices and fried in oil)
Ghee - 2 tsp
Mint leaves - 4 (chopped)
Saffron - 6 strands
Milk - 2 tsp
Preparation:
Making the Biryani Masala:
1. Heat oil in a pan.
2. Add pepper corns and the vegetables - potato, green beans, cauliflower, green peas and onion. The green beans soak the spices really well. That's why I love adding a lot of green beans. Optionally, if you want to fake meat, you can add the soy beans to it. If making the egg version, fry the boiled eggs separately in oil so that the outer white is crispy and we will add it to the mixture in the end.
3. We will add the carrots after the vegetables above are sauteed a bit. Carrots give a bit of sweet crunch to the dish and tastes great.
4. Add grated ginger, grated garlic and green chillies to the mix. Sauteed for a few mins.
5. Add turmeric powder, red chilly powder, garam masala powder, salt, kasuri methi and Biryani powder and mix well.
6. Once the spices are fried a bit, add yogurt and mix well. Let it cook for 5 mins so that the vegetables are able to absorb the juices. Optionally add some mint leaves.
Making the rice:
7. Heat water in a vessel, add bay leaf, salt and soaked rice and let it cook for 10 mins. Keep checking regularly to make sure that its not cooked completely. We need the rice to be 3/4th cooked.
Layering:
8. Once the rice and the biryani masala is done, its time to layer them and cook them together so that the flavors mix well.
9. We need fried onions as one of the ingredients for this. If you have the store brought one, you can use it. If not, then deep fry the onion and keep it aside.
10. Also add the saffron strands to warm milk, This is to give a good color to the biryani.
11. In a cooker, add a portion of the biryani masala as the first layer. This is important because if you add the rice first, it might burn off while cooking and stick to the vessel. Next, add a portion of rice. Maker sure you spread it evenly. Then add the coriander leaves, mint leaves, fried onion, ghee, saffron milk. If you are making egg biryani, then add the fried egg now. Next add another layer of rice, then portion of biryani masala and then the garnishing items and repeat it.
12. Cook this on stove for 10 mins. Let it cool for 1/2 hr before serving it.
Biryani is now ready to be served. You can eat it just by itself or with a side of raita.
