Biryani

Ingredients

• 750 grams of rice washed and soaked for 20 minutes, not more otherwise rice becomes brittle and starts breaking)
• ½ kilo of meat
• 1 tsp of green chilli in to paste
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp of ginger garlic paste
• 6 whole cloves
• 6 green cardamoms
• 1 tsp of powdered mixed spices
• 8 dried prunes
• 1/2 tsp of Coriander powder
• 1 tsp of kewra /essence water
• 1 cup of yogurt
• ½ tsp of red chilli powder
• 4 cups of basmati rice
• Powder of nutmeg /jaifal ¼ inch, mace ½ tsp
• 2 green cardamoms
• 1 cup of oil
• 1 tomato finely sliced
• 1 tsp of coriander and mint finely chopped ½ cup
• 1 tsp of cumin seeds
• For Garnishing:-
• Pinch of food colouring (yellow)
• 3 whole big green chillies
• Brown fried onions to garnish
• 2-3 potatoes (optional)
• 1 tsp of Kewra water

Method

Step 1

Heat oil and put in cardamom, clove, browned onions, ginger garlic paste, meat, potatoes(optional) and fry. Then add yogurt, all mixed spices, red chilli, green chilli paste, dried prunes, turmeric, ground nutmeg and mace. Stir till the water evaporates and then add water cover it with lid and let it cook on medium flame till the meat is tender and no more than ½ a cup of gravy is left.

Step 2

Heat a deep pot. Fill it with water up to half and 1 tbsp of salt in it, for addition flavour add 1 black cardamom, ¼ inch of cinnamon and a bay leaf. Now transfer the already soaked rice in hot boiling water and cook it till its andante, strain the rice.

Step 3

When the gravy is ready, add in tomato slices to it. Then place rice over the prepared gravy, pour in kewra water (essence) and sprinkle yellow colour very minute quantity and cover it with a cotton cloth, put the lid on. Place a tawa (thick metal disc) underneath the pot to prevent rice and gravy from burning. Let it cook on a very low flame for 6-8 minutes. Before serving stir so that the white rice mixes with the gravy. Garnish the rice with mint, coriander and green chillies and fried onions. Serve it with yogurt, salad.

Step 4

It is better to have the base with gravy as it prevents rice from sticking to the base. Also potatoes can be added in gravy.

Step 5

Optional

If you really want strong flavouring then pinch of mace and nutmeg powder can be sprinkled over biryani instead of using kewra water.