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

Thursday, August 25, 2016

Gutti Vankaya Biryani

Gutti Vankaya or Stuffed Brinjal is a popular Andhra delicacy that one can find in most of the South Indian restaurants. It is more commonly known as Baghara Baingan in Hyderabad. More suitable for a festive menu rather than a everyday meal, it is infused with a rich medley of flavors. Peanuts (or cashews), coconut, curry leaves, sesame seeds(optional), dried chillis and tamarind along with a host of other spices give it that tantalizing and unforgettable taste.

Giving a twist to this unique taste experience, a few restaurants in the recent times have started serving it with an aromatic Andhra style biryani. And having had occasion to sample this combination, I can vouch for it's heavenly taste. While most restaurants stick to using Basmati rice for this recipe, I prefer the small grained but equally aromatic 'Jeerakasala' or 'Jeera' rice variety.

It is one of the best one-pot meal options for those potluck occasions peppered with a generous number of 'strictly vegetarian' individuals. And it is actually quite easy and takes relatively less time to put together than a dal-roti-suzbi meal. Reason enough to make it a part of your culinary arsenal.

The small purple aubergines are generally used for making this recipe. But I used the long white ones as I had a batch that needed to be consumed before the weekend. Read on for the details -

















Preparation Time - 30-40 mins

Ingredients -

For the Gutti Vankaya -

For the stuffing -

  • 2 tsp poppy seeds
  • 1/4 cup peanuts
  • 1/2 cup freshly grated coconut
  • 1 inch cinnamon
  • 1 green cardamom
  • 2-3 cloves
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 4-5 dry red chilis ( less spicy ones like byadgi )
  • 1/2 tsp coriander seeds
Others - 

  • 2 long white eggplants / 8 medium sized purple ones
  • 1 large onion ( chopped into thin long pieces )
  • 1 tsp GG paste
  • 1 sprig curry leaves
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • a pinch of garam masala
  • a pinch of asafoetida
  • 2-3 pinch turmeric
  • 1/4 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
  • a lemon sized ball of tamarind
  • salt to taste
  • oil for shallow frying

For the Biryani -

  • 2 cups Jeera ( jeerakasala ) rice 
  • 2 tbsp chopped mint leaves
  • 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
  • 1 small onion (finely chopped)
  • 1 green cardamom
  • 2 inch long cinnamon
  • 3-4 cloves
  • 6-7 black peppercorns
  • 2 pinch shahjeera
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 tsp ghee
  • salt to taste

Preparation - Soak the tamarind in 1/2 cup hot water. Squeeze the juice and discard the pulp.

Chop the white eggplants into 3 inch long pieces. Then put a 'X' shaped cut on each piece. Make sure that the cut is only till 3/4 of the length and not more. Soak the pieces in warm water to which a little turmeric has been added.

Cook the rice using the open pan method. It should be cooked yet firm to touch.

Cooking - Heat a thick bottomed pan. Add the peanuts and red chilis. Once peanuts start popping, add the cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, coriander seeds, and bay leaf. Once they gets fragrant, add poppy seeds. These start spluttering at once.


Immediately add the coconut to the same pan. Fry for 30-45 seconds and switch off.

Allow it to cool down and then grind into a coarse paste. Stuff this paste into the slits made on the aubergine pieces.

















Heat a wok. Add the oil. Throw in the curry leaves, asafoetida, mustard seeds and cumin seeds.

Once they get popping, add chopped onions. Once onion is translucent, add GG paste. Fry for 2-3 mins before adding the turmeric, chilli powder, coriander powder and garam masala. Fry for another minute.

Gently put the stuffed eggplants into the wok. Sprinkle some salt over them. Fry gently till the skin turns brown.

Add about 1 cup water and the remaining stuffing to the wok. Adjust the salt. Bring to a gentle boil and cover with a lid. Let it simmer for 5-6 mins or till the aubergine in cooked.

Add the tamarind. Simmer for 5 mins or till it reaches the desired consistency. Remove from the flame.

Heat the ghee in a wide pan. Add the onions, mint leaves and coriander leaves. Fry till the onion turns translucent. Add all the spices and fry till fragrant.

Finally add the rice along with a little salt and sprinkle a bit water. Toss gently. Cover with a lid and remove from the flame. Let it stand for 10 mins.
















Serve the Gutti Vankaya on a bed of the fragrant biryani rice.

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 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.

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