Biryani
biryani
Made Easy Using Biryani Masala Pack
This dish is rich, colourful, aromatic and flavourful layered Mughal Indian dish, a celebration of all that is great about Indian food. Traditional Biryani is made by layering parboiled long-grained basmati rice and then layered with lamb, chicken, fish or vegetables with herbs in a thick curry gravy. Layers are fragranced with saffron and kewra/rose water. This Royal dish is an explosion of flavours in each bite and is a balanced diet.
One can add tofu, paneer (Indian cheese) raisins, cashews or any other kind of nuts to make this dish suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
This Biryani recipe yields an aromatic and flavorful Indian main course balanced diet dish that you and your guests will love. This recipe needs a bit of patience to make but with simple easy steps to follow and best of all, all the spices including saffron and long- grained basmati rice is in BIRYANI pack for you to prepare gourmet restaurant style biryani in comfort of your home.
This recipe is versatile: NON-VEG, VEGETARIAN, VEGAN, NON-DAIRY AND SPICES HAVE NO ADDED GLUTEN.
NOTES: If you wish, you can replace the oil with ghee (clarified butter)
PREP TIME: 30 mins
COOK TIME: 1 ½ hrs
TOTAL TIME: 2 hrs
YIELD: 8 servings
STEP 1: Cook rice
(This step is the same for meat or vegetable biryani)
6 cups of water
1 ½ tbsp salt (Not to worry, once cooked the rice won’t be too salty)
Add rice to a large pot and rinse it at least thrice. Drain and soak in 6 cups of fresh water for minimum of 30 minutes. After the rice has soaked, drain the water using a colander.
Bring 3litres/3 quarts water to the boil. Add rice and salt, stir with a spoon.
Let it cook uncovered (don’t lower the heat) until it’s almost cooked (around 70-75% cooked but not fully cooked). There should be a bit of a bite to it. This takes about 6-7 minutes. Rice will taste salty at this stage, disappears in next stage of cooking.
Remove pot from heat and drain rice immediately in a colander. Set aside.
STEP 2: Caramelize onions and pan fry potatoes
(This step is the same for meat or vegetable biryani)
½ cup of cooking oil or ghee
½ cup unsalted cashews (optional: only for vegetable biryani)
½ cup raisins, washed with warm water and squeeze (optional: only for vegetable biryani)
1 ½ cups onion, thinly sliced
1 cup potatoes, sliced about ¼” thick -1” long
Heat oil in a non-stick pan/pot on medium heat. Once hot, add sliced onions to it fry until they turn golden brown and caramelize. This takes about 8-9 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon/tong on plate and set aside.
(For vegetable biryani in this same pan/pot, add cashews and raisins and pan fry for 1-2 minutes or until golden brown).
Remove with a slotted spoon/tong on plate and set aside.
To the same pan, add potatoes, fry for 2-3 minutes until light brown. Remove with a slotted spoon/tong on plate and set aside. Set aside this pan/pot for STEP 4.
STEP 3: Make saffron-milk or water
(This step is the same for meat or vegetable biryani)
All of the saffron strands
2 tbsp of warm milk or water
Add saffron strands (crush it before adding) to milk or warm water. Let it sit for 10 minutes for that yellow color. Saffron milk or water is ready, set aside.
STEP 4: For Vegetarian Biryani
Note: 4 cups of assorted Vegetables can be substituted of your choice.
2 tbsp cooking oil
6 cloves garlic crushed
1 inch or thumb size ginger crushed
1 cup carrots sliced
1 ½ cup cauliflower small florets
½ cup French cut green beans
1 cup peas
1 ½ cup tomatoes cut up
½ cup plain yogurt or non-dairy yogurt
1pk B spice pack
¼ - 1tsp cayenne powder or crushed green chiles (optional)
Crush garlic and ginger using a mortar, pestle or a food chopper. Set aside.
Heat same non-stick pan/pot along with the leftover oil from STEP 4. If not, enough oil/ghee leftover can add a bit more. Add garlic and ginger paste. Cook for 1- 2 minutes until raw smell goes away.
Add tomatoes, fry for about 2 minutes.
Add all of the B spice pack mix well and keep stirring for a minute.
Add yogurt, stirring continuously until it’s all absorbed.
Add all the veggies except peas and toss to combine. Let it cook for around 6-7 minutes until veggies are almost cooked but not overcooked. They should be firm to bite. Add peas mix well.
You may also cover the pan/pot, I usually cook uncovered. There shouldn’t be much water left, it should be kind of thick mixture. Remove from heat and set aside.
Layer the biryani:
2 tbsp cooking oil/ ghee (half to grease the bottom of the pot and half to drizzle on top layer)
1 cup sliced green peppers lengthwise
1 cup chopped cilantro
2 tbsp Kewra/Rose water (If not available, biryani can be prepared without it.)
Use a heavy bottom medium pot. Grease the bottom of the pot with oil or ghee.
Then add a layer of rice (half of the rice). Top with half of the fried onion, half of the fried potatoes, half green peppers, half of the fried cashews, raisins and half of the cilantro. Drizzle 1 tbsp of kewra/rose water and 1 tbsp of saffron milk/water Place all the veggies on top (all of it).
Then add another layer of rice (remaining rice) on top of the veggies. Then top it with remaining fried onion, fried potatoes, green peppers, cashews, raisins and rest of the cilantro. Drizzle 1 tbsp of oil/ghee, kewra/rose water and rest of the saffron milk/ water.
Cover the pot tightly with aluminum foil. Then cover with fitted lid.
Heat a flat pan on medium heat. Once hot, reduce the flame to lowest. Place your biryani pot on top of the pan and let it cook for about 25 to 30 minutes on the lowest heat (This process is called ‘DUM’ cooking).
Scoop out the biryani from bottom of the pot so you get nice patches of yellow rice, white rice, the curry-stained rice plus veggies and rice (rather than all mixed up). To do this, use a large spoon and dig deep into the pot, and try to scoop up as much as you can in one scoop. Each serving has both the veggies and rice.
STEP 4: For meat Biryani
1 kg skinless, bone in meat of your choice (for chicken recommended legs or thighs)
6 cloves garlic crushed
1 inch or thumb size ginger crushed
1 ½ cup tomatoes cut up
½ cup plain yogurt or non-dairy yogurt
1pk B spice pack
¼ - 1tsp cayenne powder or crushed green chiles (optional)
Crush garlic and ginger using a mortar, pestle or a food chopper. Set aside.
Heat oil in a pan/pot on medium heat. Add garlic and ginger paste. Cook for 1-2 minutes until raw smell goes away.
Add tomatoes, fry for about 2 minutes.
Add all of the B spice pack mix well and keep stirring for a minute.
Add yogurt, stirring continuously until it’s all absorbed.
Add meat, mix well and keep stirring while cooking for about 5 minutes. Cover and cook on medium/low for about 20-30 minutes stirring occasionally until the meet is almost fully cooked. Once cooked remove from heat and set aside.
Layer the biryani:
2 tbsp of cooking oil/ghee (half to grease the bottom of the pot and half to drizzle on top layer)
½ cup sliced green peppers lengthwise
1 cup chopped cilantro
2 tbsp kewra/rose water (If not available, biryani can be prepared without it.)
Use a heavy bottom medium pot. Grease the bottom of the pot with oil or ghee.
Then add a layer of rice (half of the rice). Top with half of the fried onion, half of the fried potatoes, half green peppers, half of the cilantro. Drizzle 1 tbsp of kewra/rose water and 1 tbsp of saffron milk/ water Place all the saucy meat on top (all of it).
Then add another layer of rice (remaining rice) on top of the meat. Then top it with remaining fried onion, fried potatoes, green peppers and rest of the cilantro. Drizzle 1 tbsp of oil/ghee, kewra/rose water and rest of the saffron milk/ water.
Cover the pot tightly with aluminum foil. Then cover with fitted lid.
Heat a flat pan on medium heat. Once hot, reduce the flame to lowest. Place biryani pot on top of the pan and let it cook for about 25 to 30 minutes on the lowest heat (This process is called ‘DUM’ cooking).
Scoop out the biryani from bottom of the pot so you get nice patches of yellow rice, white rice, the curry-stained rice plus meat (rather than all mixed up). To do this, use a large spoon and dig deep into the pot, and try to scoop up as much as you can in one scoop. Each serving has both the meat and rice.
GARNISH:
Drizzle 2tbsp of fresh lemon juice on top of the cooked biryani before serving. (optional), For lamb biryani garnish with cutup mint leaves.
Serving Recommendations
Biryani is a meal itself. Serve with yogurt, raita or with Ashi’s Rasoi Naan Bread.
