Thursday, May 1, 2014

Hari Biryani

Biryanis are traditionally cooked with meat. They are really lengthy & time consuming dishes. Takes hours of preparation and cooking time. I have come with a simple and unique way of making a vegetable biryani with a big twist.  This biryani is bright green with a fresh coriander base. Lets see how to prepare this mouth watering rice delight.




Ingredients: 

Whole Spices / Saboot masala :

Jeera/ cummins seeds : 1 tbsp
Cardamom / Elaichi : 3-4
Dalchini / Cinanamon Sticks : 2 one inch size.
Mustard seeds :1 tbsp
Cloves : 4-5
Tej Patta / Bay Leaf : 1


Mains:

Chana Dal / Split Pea : 1 tbsp
Grated Ginger / Adrak : 1/2 tbsp
Ghee / Clarified butter : 3 tbsp
Onion / Pyaaz : Finely chopped : 1 big size
Boiled Potatoes / Aloo : Cubes 1 big size
Paneer / Cottage cheese : 20 - 25 cubes
Tomatoes / Tamatar : 1  diced
Turmeric : 1/2 tbsp
salt : to taste
Lemon juice / Nimbu ka ras : 2 tbsp
Cooked rice/ Chawal : two bowls
Garam Masala : 2 pinch


Paste / Base : 

Coriander leaves / dhaniya Patta  : chopped handful
Mint leaves / Pudina : 3-4
Green chillies / Hari Mirch : 4-5

Pre-preparation : 

1.  Fry Paneer cubes to light golden brown in half tbsp of ghee.

2.  Grind coriander leaves + Green chillies + Pudina into a semi-fine paste. Add half glass of water. ( Green Paste )

3.  Cook rice with 2 cloves and a small cinnamon stick. Make sure to drain all water and the rice be absolutely dry when you use later in the biryani.


Main  Preparation: 

1.  In a Wok heat ghee and all the whole spices. Fry for about a min.

2.  Add Chana Dal + Grated Ginger + Onion and fry till the ginger leaves the juices. Let onion sweat to pink. ( refer Pic below )



3.  Add tomatoes + turmeric, cook until the tomatoes are slightly moist.

4.  Add the boiled potatoes + Paneer cubes, saute for a minute.

5.  Now add the green paste + garam masala + Salt. Add 2-3 tbsp of water if required. Cook the whole mixture until it forms a semi gravy base.

6.  Add cooked rice + Lemon juice. Quickly Stir the rice and roughly it with the gravy base. Take the whole thing off the flame and Semi mix.

Enjoy the Biryani with some sweet boondi raita :) !!

Note : Biryanis are always cooked and served in Layers. The rice is never mixed with the main mix completely. Make sure the same is maintained even here.