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Showing posts with label biriyani varieties. Show all posts
Showing posts with label biriyani varieties. Show all posts

Sunday, May 24, 2015

Gosht Moplah Biryani

Yaaaawn!!! Yet another mutton biryani recipe. Have drummed up quite a repertoire for this delectable meat and rice one-pot-meal. And still have the appetite for more as it is one super duper comfort meal that suits lazy bums like me who do not like to compromise on the taste. The pressure cooker method of cooking biryani makes the task quite easy.

Got this one from a facebook forum, tried it myself (although with a slight modification) and loved the results !!! Read on - 























Preparation Time - 1 hour


Ingredients - 


For marinade - 



  • 1/2 kg mutton
  • 1/2 cup thick yogurt
  • 1 tsp ginger paste
  • 1 tsp garlic paste
  • 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp hot chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1-2 crushed green chilies
  • 1/4 tsp shahi jeera
  • 2-3 tsp ghee
  • 2 medium onions (crisp fried to a brown )
  • a handful of mint leaves.
  • 2 tsp coriander stems (these have more flavour)
  • 3 tbsp oil
  • 1/4 cup thick coconut milk ( I did not have the fresh one so used the Maggie coconut milk powder)
  • 15 curry leaves.
  • 1 tbsp poppy seeds 
  • Salt to taste

For cooking the rice -

  • 1/2 kg biryani rice
  • khada masala or whole spices ( 3 green cardamom, 1 black cardamom, 1 bay leaf, 3-4 cloves, 10-12 peppercorn, 1 mace, 2 inch cinnamon, 2 star anise )
  • 1 tbsp ghee
  • salt to taste

For final assembly -
  • 3 tsp mint leaves
  • 2 pinch saffron soaked in 1/4 cup warm milk
  • 1 tbsp ginger juliennes
  • 4 tbsp crisp fried onion
  • chopped cilantro
  • green chilis slit lengthwise (skip if you do not want too much heat)



Preparation Marinate the mutton with all the ingredients listed except oil , shah jeera and curry leaves. Allow to stand for 3-4 hours.

Wash and soak rice for 1/2 hour.


Cooking - Heat the oil in a wok. Add shah jeera followed by curry leaves. Add the mutton after 30 seconds. Cook it covered till completely tender.

Bring the water to a boil . Add the whole spice and allow to boil for 5 mins before switching off the flame. Allow this to sit for 1 hour so that the aroma of the spice really gets into the water. 

Bring it to a boil once again and then add rice. Once half done, add the ghee and salt. Strain the water once it is 80 percent done.



Assembly -  Divide the rice into three parts. Take a thick bottomed vessel. Grease with ghee. Layer one portion of rice. Sprinkle saffron milk, ginger juliennes, green chilis, fried onion, mint and cilantro. Spread half of the mutton over it.

Add another rice layer and top it with saffron milk, ginger juliennes, green chilis, fried onion, mint and cilantro. Spread remaining half of the mutton over it.

Add the last rice layer. Sprinkle saffron milk, ginger juliennes, green chilis, fried onion, mint and cilantro. 


Seal with a foil or put a heavy lid and seal the sides with dough. Cook on low heat for 20 mins. Allow to stand aside for 10 mins before opening and serving.


Serve hot with raita and pickled pearl onions.




Thursday, May 7, 2015

Kolkata Chicken Biryani

After rummaging through the Southern cookbooks and devouring the best of the biriyanis (Hyderabadi/Ambur/Thalapakatti/Thalasseri), we now make a pit stop at Kolkata. Why Kolkata, the land synonymous with fish and sweets ? Well, that is because Kolkata is also home to a entirely new biryani variety that was inspired by the awadhi version.

This one is minus the aromatic mint and coriander leaves /paste that is a must with the Southern biryanis. And potato makes an appearance instead which also makes this version a tad bit sweeter.

Read on for the recipe -



















Preparation Time - 1 hour

Ingredients -

For the Biryani Masala (to be roasted and ground) -


  • 2-3 green cardamom
  • 1 black cardamom
  • 2 inch cinnamon stick
  • 4-5 cloves
  • 1/2 tsp white peppercorn
  • 1/2 tsp shahi jeera
  • 1 mace (javitri)
  • a tiny bit of nutmeg ( jaiphal)


For the marinade -


  • 500 gm chicken pieces
  • 2-3 tbsp thick curd
  • 2 tsp GG paste
  • 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp coriander powder
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1/4 tsp biryani masala powder ( as mentioned above )
  • salt to taste

For the Biryani rice -

  • 250 gm Basmati rice
  • 1-2 green cardamom
  • 1 inch cinnamon stick
  • 4-5 peppercorns
  • 3-4 cloves
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 mace
  • 1/2 tsp ghee
  • salt to taste
Others -

  • 2 large onion ( chopped into small pieces )
  • 2-3 tsp fried onions
  • 1 large potato ( diced into 6 pieces and fried )
  • 2 eggs ( boiled and cut into halves )
  • a pinch of saffron (soaked in 3 tbsp warm milk)
  • 1 tsp kewra water ( I used kewra leaf instead )
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 4-5 tsp oil
  • 2-3 tsp ghee

Preparation - Dry roast the spices mentioned for 'Biryani Masala' (do it separately if possible). Ground into a fine powder.

Marinate the chicken pieces with all the ingredients mentioned under 'For the marinade'. Keep aside for 4-5 hours in the fridge.

Cooking - Heat the oil in a wok. Add the sugar and allow it to caramelize a bit.

Add the onion pieces and fry to a translucent. Add the chicken pieces next and cook till almost done. Add the fried potato and cook for 2 mins more. Remove from the flame and keep aside.

Heat sufficient water in a saucepan. When it gets to a boil, add the salt, ghee and whole spices. Follow it with the washed rice. Cook on medium heat till almost 80 percent done. Drain the water.

Final layering - Take a thick bottomed pan. Grease the bottom with ghee. Put a layer of the chicken and follow it with another layer of rice. Repeat till all the rice and chicken is used up. The top layer should be that of rice. 

Place the eggs on top. Drizzle the saffron milk, kewra water and ghee. Sprinkle the fried onions. Close the pan with a heavy lid.

Place it on very low heat (use a tawa instead of keeping it on direct flame) for 20-25 mins.

Remove and keep aside for 10 mins before serving.



































Note - If using Kewra leaves, boil it along with the rice and retain it for the dum process. I had mixed some fried onion with the chicken towards the end of the cooking process which gave a darker hue to the biryani. Else it will be significantly lighter in color (almost orange red ).


Saturday, April 11, 2015

Potli Biryani (Chicken Biryani in a Banana leaf parcel) !!

Some time back, I had read about a prawn biriyani cooked in a banana leaf. Though I wanted to try it out immediately, it did not happen due to certain circumstances and I conveniently forgot about it. If like me, one has the habit of collecting thousands of recipes, it becomes a bit difficult to keep track of them. Hence, this recipe was lying at the back of my mind and when I saw fresh banana leaves at the vegetable shop last week, I knew I had to try this at least once.

But I did not remember the exact recipe (but I think it had coconut milk in it and I was not sure if my North Indian friends would like it)  and decided to go along with one of my chicken biryani recipes. It results were good. The banana leaf imparted a subtle flavor to the rice and the 'potli' or the banana leaf parcel made for a lovely presentation.

Read on for the recipe -



















Preparation Time - 1 hour

Ingredients -

For Chicken -
  • 250 gm Chicken
  • 2 large onions 
  • 2 tsp GG paste
  • whole spices ( 3 cloves, 2 inch cinnamon stick, 1 star anise, 1 black cardamom, 2 green cardamom, 1 bay leaf, 2 mace)
  • 1/2 tsp coriander powder
  • 1/2 tsp cumin powder
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1/4 tsp garam masala
  • a handful of mint leaves
  • 3-4 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
  • 1/2 cup thick curd
  • 2 tbsp tomato puree
  • oil (2 tbsp)
  • ghee (2tbsp)
  • salt to taste

For the biriyani rice -
  • 2 cups Basmati rice 
  • 1 star anise
  • 1 2" long cinnamon stick
  • 3-4 cloves
  • 2 green cardamom (slightly split)
  • 1 mace
  • 1 tsp ghee
  • salt to taste

Final garnishing -
  • Fried onions
  • mint leaves
  • coriander leaves
  • food color (opional)
  • ghee

Preparation - Clean the chicken pieces and pat them dry. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add all the ingredients listed under 'For Chicken' except for the whole spices, oil and onions. Mix everything together and rub the marinade on the chicken pieces for about 5 mins.

Keep aside for 2-3 hours.

Chop the onions into thin long pieces.

Cooking -

For the chicken - Heat oil in a wok. Add the whole spices and fry for 10-15 seconds. Next, add the onions and fry till translucent.

Add the mint leaves and the coriander leaves. Fry for 2 mins.

Add the marinated chicken along with the marinade. Cook for 15 mins (covered) till 3/4 done. Remove from flame and keep aside.

For the rice - Boil 8-10 cup water in large pan. When it gets to a boil, add all the spices and salt.

Wash the Basmati rice and add to the boiling water. Boil on a medium flame for 8-9 mins.

Switch off the flame.  Add the ghee and allow to stand for 30 secs before draining off.

Final assembly - Take a fresh and clean banana leaf that is wide enough and has no tears .

Rub a little ghee all over it. Place a layer of rice on it. Then layer with chicken, fried onions, mint leaves, coriander leaves, ghee and few dots of color. Gather the ends of the leaf, bring them together and bind it with a string/ribbon/rubber band.




















Boil water in a steamer. If you don't own one, use an idli maker. Place the banana leaf parcel inside the steamer and allow it to steam for 10-15 mins. The banana leaf would have changed to a yellowish shade by then.




















Remove from the steamer and allow it to rest for 10 mins.

Serve the parcels with raita.



















Note - I packed individual portions into each banana leaf parcel. So, one can serve it directly with the leaf itself.

Friday, April 10, 2015

Kairi ( Raw Mango ) Biriyani ( Chicken Biryani flavored with green mangoes )

If I had to name of thing that makes me nostalgic about summers, it would undoubtedly be 'Mangoes'. Whether they are the tangy green ones or the ripe aromatic ones, I never fail to make them a part of the menu. While the ripe ones go straight from the fridge ( where they are kept soaking in a large bowl of water for 3-4 hours ) to the dining table, the raw ones offer a lot more versatility. And even though I add the green ones to chutney, a variety of curries, mango rice (Andhra style), rasam or enjoy the slices which sprinkled with salt and red chili powder and exposed to the sun for a few hours, I still cannot get enough.

Perhaps that is why when I made Biryani last over weekend, I wanted to flavour it with that indelible stamp of the Indian summers aka the lovely green mangoes or 'kairi' as we call them in Hindi. This is basically an Ambur style biriyani recipe and I have tweaked it a bit. Since these green mangoes are quite tangy, I made it a point to avoid adding any other sour ingredient like tomato or yogurt. The Kairi biriyani turned out to be beautiful and heavenly smelling.

Read on for the recipe -




















Preparation Time - 1 hour

Ingredients -


  • 250 gm Chicken
  • 2 large onions 
  • 1 green chilli
  • whole spices ( 3 cloves, 1 inch cinnamon stick, 2 maratti moggu, 2 Kalpasi, 1 bay leaf, 2 mace)
  • 1/3 tsp cinnamon powder
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • a handful of mint leaves
  • 3-4 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
  • 4 tbsp grated green mango (Kairi)
  • oil (2 tbsp)
  • ghee (2tbsp)
  • salt to taste


To be ground into a paste -
  • 1 1/2 inch long ginger
  • 12 garlic cloves
  • 2-4 green chilis


For the biriyani rice -
  • 2 cups Basmati rice 
  • 1 star anise
  • 1 2" long cinnamon stick
  • 3-4 cloves
  • 2 green cardamom (slightly split)
  • 1 mace
  • 1 tsp ghee
  • salt to taste

Preparation - Transfer the ginger, garlic and green chili into a grinder jar and grind into a paste.

Add 3/4 th of the GG paste to the cleaned chicken pieces. Add turmeric and cinnamon powder. Add salt and mix with your hands so that the masala is uniformly distributed. (Do wear gloves as the chilli paste might cause severe burning sensation on your hands)

Keep aside for 2-3 hours.

Finely chop the onions .

Cooking -

For the chicken - Heat the ghee and oil in a pressure cooker. Add the whole spices and fry for 10-15 seconds. Next, add the onions and fry till translucent.

Add half of the mint leaves and half of the coriander leaves. Fry for 2 mins.

Add the marinated chicken along with the marinade. Cook for 15 mins (covered) till 3/4 done. Add the grated green mango and fry for 5-6 mins. Remove from flame and keep aside.

For the rice - Boil 8-10 cup water in large pan. When it gets to a boil, add all the spices and salt.

Wash the Basmati rice and add to the boiling water. Boil on a medium flame for 8-9 mins.

Switch off the flame.  Add the ghee and allow to stand for 30 secs before draining off.

Final assembly - Take a thick bottomed pan. Layer the bottom with rice.

Then layer with chicken, mint leaves, coriander leaves, ghee and few dots of color. ( throw in a few thin slices of green mangoes as well for more aroma..I did just that and loved it!! )

Repeat with another layer of rice. Add more mint leaves, ghee and some more color. Cover tightly with aluminium foil. Place the pan on a tawa/skillet before placing it on a low flame. Keep it on for 15-20 mins. Remove from flame and keep aside for 10 mins before opening.

Serve hot with raita and Coke.





Saturday, June 21, 2014

Sindhi Biryani

It was by sheer chance that I saw a 'Shan Sindhi Biryani Masala' packet at Total superstore and decided to try out the recipe. Of couse, I did not buy the masala packet as I usually avoid the ready made masala mixes( with a few exceptions ofcourse when I am not too about the masala proportions.....should have mentioned this before but anyways thanks to one of my readers to point out this blunder ). Around the same time someone posted the recipe on FB which I thought was good but too much spicy. It made me browse around for sometime till I zeroed in on the ingredients I wanted to put into my version. Apart from the usual stuff, the important things that were supposed to go into it were the big potato chunks and some apricots. The heat from those green chilis is obviously negotiable. But since I did not have apricots in store, I used a mix of raisins and dried cranberries.

Read on for my recipe (it is a toned down version but those who dig the Hyderabadi dum biryani will still find it spicier) -


















Preparation Time - 1 hour

Ingredients - 


  • 1/2 kg Chicken pieces
  • 3 cups Basmati Rice 
  • 2 Onions (chopped) 
  • 2 Tomatoes (pureed)
  • 2 big Potatoes ( Boiled, peeled and cubed)
  • 1/4 tsp Turmeric
  • 1 tsp Red chilly powder 
  • 2 tsp Coriander Powder 
  • 1 tbsp Ginger garlic paste 
  • 1 Bay Leaf 
  • 1 black Cardamom
  • 2 green Cardamom
  • 2 inch cinnamon stick 
  • 4-5 cloves
  • Lemon juice 
  • 1/2 cup raisins  
  • 1/4 cup cranberries 
  • Handful of Mint Leaves (chopped) 
  • Handful of Coriander Leaves (chopped) 
  • 2-3 Green Chillies 
  • 1/2 cup Curd
  • 2 Tbsp Oil + more for frying onions
  • 2 Tbsp Ghee
  • Salt to taste
  • Orange food color (optional)

Preparation -  Slice the onions thinly.

Soak the raisins and cranberries in some hot water for 1 hour.

Wash and marinate the chicken with salt, turmeric, powdered masalas and yogurt.

Cooking - Heat the oil for frying the onions. Fry the onions till brown. Remove and keep aside.

Remove excess oil from the wok. Add the remaining whole spices ( keep aside the black cardamom and 2-3 cloves) and fry till fragrant. Now add the browned onions keeping aside a few for layering. Add the GG paste along with the crushed green chilis. Add chicken and fry for 6-7 minutes on high till it stops oozing water.

Add the pureed tomato, mint leaves and coriander leaves, and cook for 5-6 minutes. Add the boiled potato and pulped raisins and cranberries. By this time, the chicken should be cooked through.

Boil water in a large pan for cooking the rice. Wash the rice and add  to it. Drop in one black cardamom, 2-3 cloves, salt and 1/2 tsp ghee. Cook till 3/4th done. Drain immediately and keep aside uncovered.

Take a thick bottomed vessel. Brush the insides with ghee. Then spread 1/2 of the cooked meat followed by half of the rice. Then add the remaining meat and finally the remaining rice. Sprinkle fried onions, mint leaves, lemon juice, ghee and some food colour. Close the lid tightly so that no steam can escape ( use some dough to seal the edges ).

Cook on 'dum' for 15-20 mins. Keep aside for another 10-15 mins before opening.

Serve hot with raita and papad.



Thursday, June 12, 2014

Fish Biryani (Kerala style biriyani)

By now I have probably tried out all the popular biriyani varities from South India. Such is my fascination for this awesome one pot meal that every time I read/see about a new variety on someone's blog/newspapers or on the internet, I know I have to give it a try. The last one (hopefully) pending was a Kerala or Malabar style biriyani. Heavy with the fragrance of coconut and spices, this one has the indelible stamp of fabulous coastal cuisine.

Read on for the recipe -

















Preparation Time - 40-45 mins

Ingredients -

  • 2 cups basmati rice
  • 4 pieces of fish ( Surmai/seer fish is preferable but I used Rohu instead )
  • 1 large + 1 medium sized onion
  • 2 tsp GG paste
  • 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp Kashmiri chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp pepper powder
  • 1/2 tsp cumin powder
  • 1/2 tsp coriander powder
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1/4 tsp garam masala
  • 2 large tomatoes (freshly pureed)
  • 2-3 green chilis (crushed)
  • 1/3 cup chopped mint leaves
  • 1/3 cup chopped coriander leaves
  • 1-2 sprigs of curry leaves
  • 1/2 cup thick coconut milk
  • 3-4 cloves
  • 2 inch cinnamon stick
  • 4 green cardamon
  • 1 tsp ghee
  • 4 tsp oil
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • salt to taste

Preparation - Chop the onion into thin long slices.

Wash and soak the rice for 1-2 hours.

Wash and clean the fish pieces. Add salt, Kashmiri chili powder, lemon juice and about 2-3 pinch of turmeric. Mix together and keep aside for 10 mins.

Cooking - Heat 1 1/2 tsp of oil in a frying pan. Add the marinated fish and fry on both sides till done. Remove and keep aside.

Heat 2 1/2 tsp oil in a wok. Add the onions along with the curry leaves and fry till onion turns light brown.

Add the GG paste and crushed green chilies. Fry till raw smell goes away. Add the tomato puree and fry till oil starts to separate out.

Add turmeric, chili powder, pepper powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and garam masala. Fry for 1 minute.

Add the soaked rice along with the chopped mint and coriander leaves. Fry till the leaves wilt up a bit. Add 2 cups warm water and the coconut milk. Add salt to taste. Finally drop in the fried fish, whole spices and ghee.

Cook on a medium low flame for 1 whistle (approx 12-14 mins). Remove and keep aside for 15-20 mins. Open the lid and fluff the rice grains with a fork.

Serve hot with raita. 


















Note - While the curry leaves and coconut milk add authenticity to this recipe, I would suggest that folks with less than adventurous taste-buds skip these two ingredients.

Thursday, June 5, 2014

Egg Biryani

My 15'th Biryani recipe!!! Have to admit it has become tough to resist the lure of the ultimate "one pot meal".

This one is dedicated to all the egg lovers, especially the eggy-tarians, people treading the thin line between vegetarianism and non-vegetarianism. A very popular version that I had kept over-looking. Better late than never.

Read on for the recipe -






Preparation Time - 25-30 mins

Ingredients -

  • 2 cups basmati rice
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 large + 1 medium sized onion
  • 2 tsp GG paste
  • 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp cumin powder
  • 1/2 tsp coriander powder
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1/4 tsp garam masala
  • 1 large tomatoe (finely chopped)
  • 1/3 cup chopped mint leaves
  • 1/3 cup chopped coriander leaves
  • a few strands of mace
  • a pinch of nutmeg powder
  • 3-4 cloves
  • 2 inch cinnamon stick
  • 2 green cardamon
  • 1 tsp ghee
  • 2 tsp oil
  • salt to taste
  • 1/2 cup yogurt

Preparation - Chop the onion into thin long slices

Cooking - Boil water in a saucepan. Add salt and the eggs to it. Boil for 12-14 mins.

At the same time heat the oil in a pressure cooker. Add the onions and fry till brown.

Add the GG paste and fry till raw smell goes away. Add the tomato puree and fry till oil starts to separate out.

Add turmeric, chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and garam masala. Fry for 1 minute.

Add the yogurt and cook till oil separates.

By this time the eggs would be cooked. Hold them under running water for 2 mins to cool down. Crack and remove their shells.

Add the eggs to the pressure cooker.

Add the washed rice along with the chopped mint and coriander leaves. Fry till the leaves wilt up a bit. Add 2 1/2 cups warm water. Add salt to taste. Finally drop in the whole spices, nutmeg powder and ghee.

Cook on a medium low flame for 1 whistle (approx 12-14 mins). Remove from direct flame . Heat a tawa on a low flame and place the pressure cooker on it for 10-15 mins. Keep aside for a few minutes before opening the lid.

Open the lid and fluff the rice grains with a fork. Sprinkle some lemon juice if you need more tang to it.

Serve with some raita and onion rings.

 

Thursday, May 15, 2014

Prawn Biryani

My blog crossed 500 posts last week. This post was suppose to celebrate the special milestone and the 300+ Likes that my page has received on Fb. But it had to be postponed as I was quite busy in the first half and then feeling a bit low in the latter part of week. Now it seems like it was destined to mark an even bigger occasion.

Its the day of the election results and my TV has been switched 'On' since 7 a.m.. Have been following things closely ever since the counting started. And finally, it is time to pop the bubbly and burst the crackers. Yes, this one is to new beginnings. 'Ab ki Baar, Modi Sarkar. Baar Baar Modi Sarkar'.






Preparation Time - 40-45 mins

Ingredients -

  • 2 cups basmati rice
  • 200 gm small prawns
  • 1 large + 1 medium sized onion
  • 2 tsp GG paste
  • 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp cumin powder
  • 1/2 tsp coriander powder
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1/4 tsp garam masala
  • 2 large tomatoes (freshly pureed)
  • 1/3 cup chopped mint leaves
  • 1/3 cup chopped coriander leaves
  • a few strands of mace
  • a pinch of nutmeg powder
  • 3-4 cloves
  • 2 inch cinnamon stick
  • 4 green cardamon
  • 1 tsp ghee
  • 4 tsp oil
  • salt to taste
  • Lemon juice (optional) (As I used country tomatoes which were quite tangy, I skipped the lemon juice)

Preparation - Chop the onion into thin long slices.

Wash and soak the rice for 1-2 hours.

Wash and clean the prawns. Add salt and about 2-3 pinch of turmeric. Mix together and keep aside for 10 mins.

Cooking - Heat 1 1/2 tsp of oil in a frying pan. Add the marinated prawns and fry till they turn pink. Remove and keep aside.

Heat 2 1/2 tsp oil in a wok. Add the onions and fry till light brown.

Add the GG paste and fry till raw smell goes away. Add the tomato puree and fry till oil starts to separate out.

Add turmeric, chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and garam masala. Fry for 1 minute.

Add the fried prawns. Cook for 2-3 minutes.

Add the soaked rice along with the chopped mint and coriander leaves. Fry till the leaves wilt up a bit. Add 2 1/2 cups warm water. Add salt to taste. Finally drop in the whole spices, nutmeg powder and ghee.

Cook on a medium low flame for 1 whistle (approx 12-14 mins). Remove and keep aside for 15-20 mins. Open the lid and fluff the rice grains with a fork. Sprinkle some lemon juice if you need more tang to it.

Serve hot with some cooling onion raita. (Do top it up with some desserts if you are feeling extra celebratory)








Note - While using tiger prawns or any large sized prawns for that matter in this biryani makes for a great presentation, these tiny freshwater prawns are much more flavorful. However, you can use the former if you wish.

Saturday, May 10, 2014

Dindigul Thalapakatti Biriyani

The Southern cuisine from India is replete with a whole lot of biryani varieties. It is as if each state has its own trademark version of the fragrant rice dish and the local masses swear by their own 'biriyani' (Yep...it is refferd to as biriyani in the South while the Northern parts prefer biryani). While the Hyderabadi Dum Biryani remains more popular on a pan national level, I was amazed by the popularity of the Chettinad and Ambur biryanis in Karnataka. But i guess the crown goes to Tamil Nadu when it comes to the sheer numbers. The Chettinad, Ambur and Dindigul biriyani all belong to different districts of the state.


A few ingredients more or less, use of different varieties of rice, cooking all the spices togather or separately frying each one can make a whole world of difference when it comes to the taste of biryani. For example, in case of the Dindigul biriyani, the onions, ginger-garlic, mint-corinader-chili, whole spices and tomato are all ground and fried separately. 'Treat each ingredient with its due respect' seems to be the mantra behind it. Sounds cumbersome if you compare it with the Hyderabdi biryani where everything is marinated and cooked together. But if you have the quest to try out the original Dindigul biriyani, you need to do it the right way. One can use mutton instead of chicken, but remember to cook the marinated mutton for 2-3 whistles along the spices before adding rice to it.

Read on for the recipe -



















Preparation Time - 1 hour

Ingredients -


1 kg chicken on the bone (cut into medium sized pieces)
4 cups basmati rice ( the original recipe uses Seeraga Samba rice )
1 large + 1 medium sized onion
2 medium sized tomatoes ( i used country or local ones which were quite a bit tangy )
1 cup mint leaves (tightly packed)
2/3 cup coriander leaves (tightly packed)
3-4 green chilis
1 tbsp GG paste
2-3 green cardamom
2 bay leaves
3-4 cloves
2" cinnamon stick
salt to taste
3 tbsp ghee
2 tbsp oil
1 cup thick coconut milk ( though this can be optional, it adds an authentic flavor. I used only 1/2 cup instead of skipping it altogether )

For the marinade -

1/2 tbsp GG paste
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
2/3 cup yogurt
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste



Preparation - Clean and pat dry the chicken pieces.

Take all the ingredients listed under marinade in a large mixing bowl. Whisk together and then add the chicken pieces to it. Rub the marinade over the chicken pieces for 5-6 minutes (important step). Cover the bowl and keep it in the fridge overnight (if not overnight at least 3-4 hours).

Peel and chop the onion into chunks. Transfer to a mixer and make a coarse paste. Keep aside.

Similarly, chop the mint, coriander and green chillis. Transfer to a mixer and make a coarse paste. Keep aside.

Finally chop the tomato into chunks and put in a mixer jar. Make a fine puree out of it. Keep aside.

Soak the basmati rice for 1-2 hours before cooking.

Cooking - Take the oil in a wide bottomed vessel and heat it. Add the ghee to it. When the ghee has melted, add the onion paste and fry till it turns light brown.

Add the GG paste and fry till raw smell goes away.

Add the mint-coriander-chili paste and fry for 2-3 minutes.

Add the whole spices and fry for 1 minute.

Add the tomato puree along with a little salt and fry till oil starts to ooze out.

Add the chicken pieces and stir everything together. Cook on a medium to high flame till chicken is about 70 percent done. Switch off the flame.

Wash and drain the rice. Heat a pressure cooker and add the rice to it. Smooth out the rice surface with a spatula. Add 1 cup coconut milk and enough water such that the level remains just an inch over the rice. Add the chicken and mix in. Finally pour a little ghee over the contents of the pressure cooker.

Close the lid and cook for approx 12-15 mins or till 1 whistle. Remove from flame and keep aside for 15-20 mins.

Open the lid and fluff up the rice grains with a fork.

Serve hot with raita.



















For the Biryani lovers, check out these popular varieties on my Blog :-


1. Chettinad Veg Biriyani

2. Vegetable Biriyani (Hyderabadi recipe)

3. Ambur Chicken Biriyani

4. Chicken Kofta Biryani

5. Hyderabadi Chicken Biriyani

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Jackfruit Biryani

While this post had been lying in the 'Drafts' for over a year, I never got around to clicking the pics when I had prepared this biryani last time. And jackfruit being seasonal, I had to wait till tender jackfruits were back in the markets to prepare another batch of this mouth watering dish.

As jackfruit has a fibrous texture that somewhat mimics meat, it is usually prepared in the same style as chicken/mutton curry in Odisha. With quite a bit of onions, GG paste and spices going into its preparation, a good jackfruit curry still retains its distinctive flavor. Odiya folks love their jackfruit as is evident in the wide variety of dishes that they cook up with this fruit cum vegetable. (Check some of the recipe mentioned at the end of this post)

Read on for the recipe of 'Jackfruit Biryani'-


















Preparation Time - 30-35 mins

Ingredients -


  • 1 cup basmati rice
  • 1 1/2 cup tender jackfruit cubes
  • 1/3 cup shelled green peas
  • 1 large onion
  • 1 1/2 tsp GG paste
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1/4 tsp cumin powder
  • 1/2 tsp coriander powder
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1/4 tsp garam masala
  • 1 large tomato (freshly pureed)
  • 4 tsp chopped mint leaves
  • 4 tsp chopped coriander leaves
  • a few strands of mace
  • 2 pinch nutmeg powder
  • 3-4 cloves
  • 1 inch cinnamon
  • 3 green cardamon
  • 1 tsp ghee
  • 3 tsp oil
  • salt to taste
  • 1 tsp lemon juice (optional)


Preparation - Chop the onion into thin long slices.

Wash and soak the rice for 1-2 hours.

Cooking - Boil the jackfruit cubes for 7-8 minutes with 3-4 cups water and a little salt. Drain off the water and keep the jackfruit aside. This step gets rid of the bitterness if any.

Heat 2 1/2 tsp oil in a wok. Add the onions and fry till light brown.

Add the GG paste and fry till raw smell goes away. Add the tomato puree and fry till oil starts to separate out.

Add turmeric, chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and garam masala. Fry for 1 minute.

Add the jackfruit cubes and green peas. Stir fry for 3-4 minutes or till the jackfruit is tender or almost cooked.

Add the soaked rice along with the chopped mint and coriander leaves. Fry till the leaves wilt up a bit. Add 1 1/3 cups water. Add salt to taste. Finally drop in the whole spices, nutmeg powder and remaining ghee.

Cook on a medium low flame for 1 whistle (approx 12-14 mins). Remove and keep aside for 15-20 mins. Open the lid and fluff the rice grains with a fork.

Serve hot with raita.



















Note - One can also deep fry the jackfruit cubes before adding it to onion-tomato masala. This gives a slightly different flavor.


Do check out these Jackfruit (Kathal) recipes from Odisha :-


1. Panasa Dalma (Kathal Wali Dal)

2. Panasa Tarkari (Jackfruit Curry)

3. Panasa Cutlet

4. Muga Dali - Panasa Tarkari

5. Panasa Bhaja



For the Biryani lovers, check out these popular varieties on my Blog :-


1. Chettinad Veg Biriyani

2. Vegetable Biriyani (Hyderabadi recipe)

3. Ambur Chicken Biriyani

4. Chicken Kofta Biryani

5. Hyderabadi Chicken Biriyani


Saturday, March 15, 2014

Thalassery Biriyani (Malabar Biriyani/Kerela Biriyani)

Thalassery Biryani is the famous biriyani served at Muslim weddings in Kerela. It was originally made from a short grained and flavorful rice variety called Jeerakasala but now people has started using Basmati rice as well. While I came across a lot of variations on internet, some using curry leaves, other had coconut milk and still others used rose attar, this one seemed authentic. It is taken from a local TV channel called Amrita TV.

It does not use any red chilli powder, only green chillis. And the gravy made for chicken does not use any oil in it. Only the fried onions called 'Bista' are added to the gravy to deepen its flavor. Read on for the recipe.

















Preparation Time - 1 hour ( and some more standby time )

Ingredients - (serves 2)


  • 400 gm Chicken pieces (medium sized)
  • 2 1/2 cups Jeerakasala rice ( or Jeera Samba rice )
  • 3 large Onions (finely sliced in circular/semi-circular shapes)
  • 5-6 garlic cloves
  • 1 inch long ginger
  • 4-5 green chillis
  • 2 large tomatoes (finely chopped)
  • 1 cup mint leaves (chopped)
  • 1/2 cup coriander leaves (chopped)
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1 lemon
  • Salt to taste
  • Ghee + Oil for frying the onions


For the Biriyani Masala Powder


  • 3 cloves
  • 1 1/2 inch cinnamon
  • 2 green cardamoms
  • 1 petal Mace
  • 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
  • 1 tsp peppercorns
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds 
  • a pinch of Nutmeg


( Some recipes also have a little bit of aniseed and shahjeera added to this masala. But the one I tried was quite good

in itself. )

For cooking the rice -


  • 1 tsp ghee
  • 1 star anise
  • 2-3 cardomoms
  • 2-3 cloves
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • salt to taste


Preparation - Wash and marinate the chicken with salt and turmeric.

Cooking - Heat oil in a wok for frying the onions.

Fry onions in small batches on medium heat and take each batch out of the oil for a few second during frying. This makes them crisper as it allows the water content of onions to turn into vapour.

Dry roast all the spices (except nutmeg) mentioned under Biriyani Masala. Allow to cool down a few degrees. Then grind into a powder in a mixer/coffee grinder. (Add a little bit of coarse salt when using a mixer, it helps to get a fine powder )

Roughly grind the ginger, garlic and green chillis.

Cook the rice in a pressure cooker along with the ingredients mentioned under 'For cooking the rice'. After levelling the rice with a spatula, add water in sufficient quantity so that it stands nearly 1 1/2 inch above the rice. Close lid and cook for 1 whistle. Remove and open after steam escapes. Fluff up with a fork.

Heat a thick bottomed vessel (we will be using it for the DUM process later on, so it should be really thick). Add the chopped tomatoes with a little water. Cook till soft and mashy.

Add the ginger-garlic-green chilli paste and cook till raw smell goes off.

Add the chicken and cook for 5 minutes.

Add the powdered masala and chopped mint leaves. Mix well and cook till chicken is 80 percent done.

Add 3/4 th of the fried onions at this stage. Mix well and cook till chicken is tender.

Add lemon juice and coriander leaves. Mix well and switch off flame.

Layer the cooked rice over the chicken. Add remaining fried onions and dot with the saffrom milk.

Cover the vessel with a cloth and put on the lid. Allow to sit on lowest possible heat/flame for 15-20 mins. (I did this process using an induction cooker.)

Remove the lid and cloth. Mix the layers a bit.

Serve hot with raita and coriander coconut chutney.



Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Chicken Kofta Biriyani

Sorry about not being able to share any special non-vegetarian recipe on Sunday. To make up for it, I am posting one mid-week.

So, here I am with yet another Biryani recipe. This time it is a special biryani from Awadh. Also known as the 'Pearl Biriyani', this has chicken koftas mixed with flavorful Basmati rice. Read on for the recipe:






Preparation Time -40 mins

Ingredients - Chicken breast ( 1 no), basmati rice (2 cups), onion (2 large, finely sliced), tomato (1 large + 1 medium, finely chopped), GG paste ( 2 tbsp ), yogurt ( 1/2 cup), whole spices ( 4 cloves, 1 1/2 inch cinnamon stick, 1 star anise, 2 cardamom, 1 bay leaf, 2 mace), kashmiri chilli powder ( 1/2 tsp ), chilli powder ( 1/2 tsp ), 1 tsp coriander powder, 1/2 tsp cumin powder, turmeric powder (1/2 tsp), a handful of mint leaves, 3-4 tbsp chopped coriander leaves, oil (2 tbsp), ghee (2tbsp), a generous pinch of saffron, 1/4 cup milk, 1 cup caramelized onions, salt to taste.

For the kofta - 1 tsp cornflour, 1 egg white, 1 small onion (finely chopped), 1-2 green chillis (finely chopped), 3 garlic cloves (finely chopped), 1-2 tsp coriander leaves (finely chopped), a pinch of garam masala, salt to taste, oil for deep frying.

Preparation - Cut the chicken breast into small pieces. Boil with 2 cups water and a little salt till tender. Remove, strain and keep aside to cool. (do not throw away the water)

Shred the chicken breast and transfer it to a mixing bowl. Add all other ingredients mentioned under 'For  the Kofta' except for the oil and egg white. Mix together and add the egg white little by little, taking care to prevent it from getting too watery. Make small balls out of the mixture and keep aside.

Soak the saffron in warm milk.

Cooking - Heat oil in a wok for deep frying. Add the koftas in small batches. Fry evenly till golden, remove and keep aside.

Add 2 tbsp oil and 2 tbsp ghee in a thick bottomed vessel. Add the whole spices and fry till fragrant. (Do NOT burn)

Add the sliced onions and fry till translucent. Add GG paste and cook for till raw smell goes away.

Add all the powdered masalas and fry for 1 minute.

Add the finely chopped tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes or till tender. Oil should start leaving the sides of the vessel by now. Add the mint and coriander leaves and just mix in.

Add the yogurt and cook for another 3 minutes.

Add the washed and drained rice. Add 2 cups of warm water, and close the lid. Cook for 1 whistle.

-Remove and keep aside for 10 minutes. Open the lid.

Meanwhile grease a thick bottomed vessel with ghee. Add 1/3 of the cooked rice to it and spread evenly with a spatula. Add 1/3 of the koftas, some caramelized onion and a little of the saffron milk.

Repeat with the remaining rice, koftas, caramelized onions and saffron milk. Put a thick cloth over the mouth of the vessel and then cover with a heavy lid.

Heat a heavy tawa on a low flame. Place the vessel over the tawa and allow to stand for 10-15 minutes.

Remove and open the lid. Fluff up and mix the layers with a fork.

Serve hot with raita.




Saturday, March 8, 2014

Chettinad Veg Biriyani

So, its a Sunday. And I am back with a special recipe. But this time it happens to be a vegetarian one. The last week was a little hectic and we ended up eating out/ordering food on most days. As I have not really done much cooking, did not get the chance to prepare any non-veg dish at home.

In fact, I was wondering about my Sunday special post when I came to know that some guests would be coming over. And with them being vegetarian, I thought of making this biryani. (One pot meals like this are a life-saver when you are running short on time) Read on for the recipe:






Preparation Time - 45 mins - 1 hour

Ingredients - Button mushroom ( 400 gm ), paneer ( 200 gm ), chopped carrot ( 1 cup ), green peas ( 1/2 cup ), chopped cauliflower ( 1 cup ), finely chopped tomato ( 2 nos, large ), thinly sliced onion ( 2 nos, large ), basmati rice ( 3 cups ), green chillis ( 3 nos ), ginger garlic paste ( 2 tbsp ), 1 cup chopped mint leaves, 1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves, 6 cloves, 1 1/2 inch cinnamon stick, 1 star anise, 1 bay leaf, 3 marathi moggu, 1 mace, 1 1/2 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder, 1/2 tsp turmeric, 3 1/2 tbsp ghee, 2 tbsp oil, salt to taste.

For the marinade - 1/2 cup yogurt, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp kashmiri chilli powder, 3-4 tsp (heaped Chettinad masala, salt.

Preparation - Take the yogurt, chettinad masala, salt and both chilli powders in a mixing bowl. Beat lightly so that all the spices are mixed and no lumps remain.

Clean and cut the mushrooms into half.
Transfer the mushrooms along with the chopped cauliflower, carrots and green peas into the marinade bowl. Mix thoroughly. Keep aside for 1 - 1 1/2 hour.

Chop the panner into cubes. Put into hot water in which a little salt and turmeric have been added.

Cooking - Heat the oil and 2 tbsp ghee in a wok. Add the sliced onions and slit green chillis. Fry till onions turn translucent.

Add the ginger garlic paste and fry for 4 minutes or till raw smell goes away. Add the coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric and chilli powder. Fry for 1 minute or less.

Add chopped tomatoes and cook till soft. (Cover with a lid to make it quick)

Add the chopped mint and coriander. Cook for 2 minutes.

Add the marinated vegetables and cook alternately on HIGH and MEDIUM flame. The excess water from the vegetables and mushroom should evaporate but without turning them too mushy. ( a little bit of water is OK )

Add the panner 1-2 minutes before switching off the flame. Keep aside.

Wash and drain the basmati rice. Keep aside.

Heat the remaining ghee in a 5 liter pressure cooker. Add the whole spices like bay leaf, crushed cardamon, cinnamon, mace, star anise, cloves and marathi moggu. Fry for 30 seconds.

Put half of the vegetables into the pressure cooker and spread into a even layer with spatula. Layer half of the rice over it. Then put another layer of the vegetables followed by the final layer of rice. Carefully pour 3 cups of warm water over the rice and vegetables without disturbing the layers too much. Sprinkle salt and a little ghee (optional).

Close the lid and put on the weight. Cook on high for 4 minutes and then on a very low flame for 10 minutes. (You might get 2-3 whistles during this period).

Remove from flame and keep aside (undisturbed) for 20 minutes. Open and fluff the rice with a long-pronged fork.

Serve hot with a simple raita.






















Note - Even when cooking in a pressure cooker, layering helps to distribute the spices and condiments uniformly throughout the rice. However if you just mix the rice and vegetables, the latter have a tendency to come to the surface after the addition of water.

Saturday, February 22, 2014

Ambur Chicken Biriyani

'Ambur probably has more Biriyani shops per square km than any other town in the world.' says a report published in 'THE HINDU'. Add to think that I had not even heard of it before moving to Bengaluru. This small town on the Chennai Banglore highway which is a must stop for regular travellers. Tracing its origins to the reign of the Nawabs of Arcot, this biriyani is subtly different fom the Hyderabadi biriyani. More tangy and fiery but quite restrained when it comes to the use of masalas is how I would like to describe it.

My husband has been a Hyderabadi biriyani regular for the last ten years and hence it was a little difficult to sell the idea to him. But it has no coconut milk or curry leaves as opposed to the other South Indian biriyani varieties I reasoned (and hence more palatable). Some persuasion followed and he finally gave in. Finally he was the one who enjoyed it even more than I did.

As Friday dinners and Sunday lunches are a special occasion @ home, I made this for one such meal. Read on for the recipe which could add that special magic to your Sunday:

















Preparation Time - 1 hour

Ingredients - Chicken (250gm), basmati rice (2 cups), onion (2 large), tomato (1 large + 1 medium), lime juice (1 tsp), yogurt (6 tbsp), green chilli (1 no), whole spices ( 3 cloves, 1 inch cinnamon stick, 2 maratti moggu, 1 bay leaf, 2 mace), cinnamon powder (1/3 tsp), turmeric powder (1/2 tsp), a handful of mint leaves, 3-4 tbsp chopped coriander leaves, oil (2 tbsp), ghee (2tbsp), salt to taste.

To be ground into a paste - 1 1/2 inch long ginger, 12 garlic cloves, 5-6 dry red chillis (again it will depend on the heat content of the chillis and your tolerance levels :)).

Preparation - Deseed and soak the red chilli in hot water for 20 mins. Grind into a paste and remove from the jar. Add the ginger and garlic to the same jar and grind into a paste.

Add the red chilli paste and 3/4 th of the GG paste to the cleaned chicken pieces. Add turmeric, cinnamon powder, lime juice and half of the yogurt. Add salt and mix with your hands so that the masala is uniformly distributed. (Do wear gloves as the chilli paste might cause severe burning sensation on your hands)

Keep aside for 2-3 hours.

Finely chop the onions and tomatoes.

Cooking - Heat the ghee and oil in a pressure cooker. Add the whole spices and fry for 10-15 seconds. Next, add the onions and fry till translucent.

Add the chopped tomatoes and cook till nicely mashed. Add yogurt and fry the mixture till oil leaves the sides.

Add the marinated chicken along with the marinade. Cook for 15 mins (covered) till 3/4 done. Add the mint and coriander leaves and mix in. Fry for 1 minute.

Add washed rice and mix it with the chicken. Use a spatula and smoothen the upper layer of the rice and chicken. Add water so that the watermark or waterline is 1.5 inches above the rice and chicken layer. (This is tried and tested for a regular 2.5 liter pressure cooker and some variations will be there for a 5 liter or a handi model pressure cooker)

Cook for 12-14 minutes or as long as is mentioned on the packet of the Basmati rice. Keep aside till steam escapes.

Open and fluff the rice with a long pronged fork. Allow to stand for another 10-15 minutes before serving.

Serve with raita.


















This is what 'Maratti moggu' or 'Marathi Moggu' looks like. It is known as 'Kapok buds' in English and 'semul' in Hindi. They are supposed to be the dried buds and tender fruits of the silk cotton tree.


Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Mushroom Biryani ( Celebrating my 400th post )

My 400th post. So it had to be something celebratory. My sincere and heartfelt gratitude to all my regular and not so regular readers. Your comments and encouragement is much appreciated and help me keep going. And a big thanks to my husband for putting up with my experiments in the kitchen. Thanks everyone for being a part of this wonderful journey.


















Preparation Time - 40 mins

Ingredients - 2 cups basmati rice, 200 gms button mushrooms, 2 large onions, 2 tsp GG paste, 1 tsp chilli powder, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1 tsp turmeric, 1/4 tsp garam masala, 4 tsp thick yogurt, 3 tbsp tomato puree, 6 tsp chopped mint leaves, 6 tsp chopped coriander leaves, whole garam masala ( 1 mace, 1 star anise, 2 pinch nutmeg powder, 3-4 cloves, 1 inch cinnamon, 1 green cardamon), 1 tsp ghee, 4 tsp oil, salt to taste.

Preparation - Clean and wash the mushroom. Cut along the length into slices of medium thickness.

Soak the mushroom in a pan with water and 1/2 tsp turmeric powder for 1 hour. Drain off the water and pat dry with a paper towel.

Take the yogurt, GG paste, cumin powder, chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric half of the chopped mint and coriander leaves, garam masala and salt in a mixing bowl. Mix well. Add the mushrooms and coat them thoroughly with the marinade. This helps the mushroom absorb the spice flavors. Allow t rest for 1-2 hours.

Cut the onions into thin long pieces.

Cooking - Heat 1 tsp oil in a wok. Add half of the sliced onions and fry on low flame till they turn brown. You can add 1/2 tsp sugar to hasten the process. Remove the caramelized onions and keep aside.

Add 2 tsp oil to the same wok. Add the remaining onions and fry till light brown. Add the tomato puree and fry for another 2-3 mins.

Add the marinated mushrooms along with the marinade. Cook for 4-5 minutes till the excess water evaporates and masalas are well cooked. (It is ok if mushroom is still under-cooked, it gets done along with the rice.)

Heat 1 tsp oil in a pressure cooker. Add the remaining mint and coriander leaves. Fry for 1 minute.
Add the whole masalas and fry for 30 seconds.

Add the washed basmati rice, mushrooms and 2 2/3 cup water (add another 1/3 cup if you want softer rice). Mix gently. Sprinkle ghee and salt over the contents. Add half of the caramelized onions. Close the lid and cook for 1 whistle.












Allow steam to escape before opening lid. Keep aside for 10-15 mins before serving. Just before serving gently mix the rice and mushrooms so that they are evenly distributed ( mushrooms tend to rise to the top while cooking ).

Serve hot with raita and papad.


















Note - Add 1/2 cup capsicum to the marinade along with the mushrooms. Give a really nice twist/flavor to the mushroom biryani. ( Again it depends on whether you like capsicum ). Also if you are not really into mushroom, try a combination of baby corn and capsicum which is equally good.

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