Biryani, is a type of rice dish made with spices and rice (usually basmati). Biryani can also be made with meat or fish or eggs or vegetables. The name "biryani" comes from the Persian word "beryā" which means "fried" or "roasted".
The method of cooking Biryani was first developed in Iran (Persia). It is said that the dish came to India, during the time when travelers and merchants frequented India for business. It is also said that the original form of Biryani was very different from what we now have in India. So much so that there are some versions of Biryani that are found only in India.
There are many spices and condiments that can be used in the preparation of biryani. But as a standard, some spices came to be common to the dish. They are ghee, nutmeg, mace, pepper, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves, coriander, mint leaves, ginger, onions, and garlic. It is a common practice to serve some side dish with biryani. Some of the dish usually served are dahi (curd) chutney, korma, a sour dish of eggplant (brinjal), boiled egg and salad. In south India it is a common practice to serve only curd salad with biryani.
Biryani is sometimes confused with another popular dish in India called "pullao". But there is a difference between the two. Pullao is usually made by cooking the rice and all its ingredients together. On the other hand in biryani the rice is cooked separately. The ingredients are prepared separately and then both are mixed in a particuar manner. The advantage is that the main ingredient can be separately cooked depending on what it is. This gives us a better grip on the taste and a control on the flavour. In a typical biryani the rice is dry and the individual rice grains are separate. I am going to present a vegetable biryani. In future I am also planning to present other biryanis like chicken, mutton and fish, But for now it is vegetable.
The method of cooking Biryani was first developed in Iran (Persia). It is said that the dish came to India, during the time when travelers and merchants frequented India for business. It is also said that the original form of Biryani was very different from what we now have in India. So much so that there are some versions of Biryani that are found only in India.
There are many spices and condiments that can be used in the preparation of biryani. But as a standard, some spices came to be common to the dish. They are ghee, nutmeg, mace, pepper, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves, coriander, mint leaves, ginger, onions, and garlic. It is a common practice to serve some side dish with biryani. Some of the dish usually served are dahi (curd) chutney, korma, a sour dish of eggplant (brinjal), boiled egg and salad. In south India it is a common practice to serve only curd salad with biryani.
Biryani is sometimes confused with another popular dish in India called "pullao". But there is a difference between the two. Pullao is usually made by cooking the rice and all its ingredients together. On the other hand in biryani the rice is cooked separately. The ingredients are prepared separately and then both are mixed in a particuar manner. The advantage is that the main ingredient can be separately cooked depending on what it is. This gives us a better grip on the taste and a control on the flavour. In a typical biryani the rice is dry and the individual rice grains are separate. I am going to present a vegetable biryani. In future I am also planning to present other biryanis like chicken, mutton and fish, But for now it is vegetable.
What we need
- Vegetables - You could try with different vegetables. I have used Potato, Carrot, Beans and Green Peas. Totally 3 cups of vegetables.
- Rice - The best rice for this would be the thin long variety of rice. We in India usually use the rice called "Basumathi Rice" - 3 cups
- Oil - Cooking oil 12 table spoons.
- Ghee - 2 table spoons
- Cinnamon - 3 Numbers
- Cloves - 3 Numbers
- Cardamon - 3 Numbers
- Bay leaves - 3 Numbers
- Mint Leaves - 1 small bunch chopped up.
- Coriander Leaves - 1 small bunch chopped up.
- Curry Leaves - 1/4 th of a cup
- Big Onions - 2 numbers chopped length wise
- Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 table spoons
- Green Chillies - 6 to 8 numbers cut length wise
- Tomatoes - 2 chopped up
- Curd - 2 tea spoons
- Chilli Powder - 1 tea spoon
- Turmeric Powder - 1/2 a tea spoon
- Gharam Masala Powder - 1/2 a tea spoon
- Coriander powder - 2 tea spoons
- Fennel seeds - 1 tea spoon
- Lemon - 1
- Salt - To Taste
Method
- Wash and soak the rice for 10 to 15 minutes. A little bit of soaking is essential but over soaking could spring disaster. Overly soaked rice tend to get mashed up while cooking. If that happens, that would be the end of your biryani because as I mention before, the very character of biryani is that it is supposed to be dry.
- Heat oil and ghee in a pressure cooker.
- After the oil is sufficiently heated add Cinnamons, Cloves, Cardamons, Bay leaves and Fennel seeds to it.
- Next add half of the chopped mint leaves and coriander leaves and saute it until the fragrance fills your kitchen.
- Now add onions and green chillies and saute well
- Then add ginger-garlic paste and saute it again.
- Next add tomatoes and half a tea spoon of salt and saute it. By this time the neighbors already know what you are up to.
- Add turmeric powder, chilli powder and coriander powder and saute it
- Add the vegetables and saute it.
- Then add the rice and fry it.
- Now add a little gharam masala powder and curd and mix well
- Add sufficient salt and water. ( Note: For one cup of soaked rice the water you need add is 1 and a half cup.)
- Now add the rest of the coriander and the mint leaves.
- Squeeze out one lemon into it and mix well
- Close the pressure cooker and allow it to blow 3 whistles.
- When the third whistle is sounded you are done. The vegetable biriyani is ready.
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