Thanks Ambika for sharing the recipe of this delicious veg biryani!
Ingredients:
Basmati rice-1 and 1/3 cup of rice or 1 cup,
Potato- 2 small or 1 medium size-peeled and cubed into small pieces,
Cauliflower-1 medium size-small florets,
Carrot-1-peeled and chopped into small pieces,
Long beans or green beans-100 gms or 1 cup-ends trimmed and then chopped,
Onion- 1-finely chopped,
Ginger -1 tsp,
Garlic- 1 tsp,
Red chilli pwd-1/4 tsp,
Turmeric pwd-1/2 tsp,
Coriander pwd-1 tsp,
Garam masala pwd-3/4 tsp,
Amchoor dry mango pwd-1/2 tsp,
Oil -4 to 5 tbsp,
Ghee-1 tsp,
Salt to taste,
Cumin seeds-1 tsp,
Black pepper-8,
Cloves-4,
White cardamom-4,
Black cardamom-4,
Mace or javitri-1 piece
Whole spices -white cardamom pwd-1/4 tsp,cloves-2,cinnamon-2 sticks.
Water-double the quantity of rice.
Method:
Wash and soak rice for 1/2 hr.
Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a non stick kadhai.
As oil heats up,add cauliflower.
Lower the heat and cover for 5 minutes.
Keep tossing the vegetable in between till they are tender and light brown in colour.
Take out in a plate and then add 1 tbsp of oil and fry and cook the cubed potatoes the same way.
Once the potatoes are tender and light brown in colour,take them out in the same plate.
Add 2 tbsp of oil and as oil heats up,add the finely chopped onions.
Once the onions are light brown,add carrot and beans.
Cover for few minutes and let it cook on low heat.
Stir after a minute.
The carrots and beans will be a little crunchy.
Remove the lid.
Add salt,1/2 tsp of turmeric pwd,1/4 tsp of red chilli pwd,1 tsp of coriander pwd,1 tsp of ginger paste and 1 tsp of garlic paste , 3/4 tsp of garam masala pwd and 1/4 tsp of amchoor.
Add the fried cauliflower and potatoes too.
Cover for few minutes and the remove the lid.
Fry the masala in low heat till it evenly coats the vegetables and the sides leave oil.
Close gas.
In another pan add 1 tsp of ghee.
As ghee heats up,add 1/2 tsp of cumin pwd,4 cloves,2 white cardamom,2 black cardamom,8 peppercorn and 1 whole javitri.
Stir and as cumins change colour add rice and fry for few minutes till light cracks appear on rice.
Close gas.
Heat a deep non stick pan and add water, double the amount of rice.(for 1 cup of rice-2 cups of water)
Add a pinch of cardamom pwd,2 cloves and 2 cinnamon sticks.
As water starts to boil,lower the heat and add rice and the fried vegetables.
Mix and taste the boiling water and then add salt.
Cover and let it cook on simmer for 5 to 7 minutes.
Leave the lid a little ajar for the steam to let out.
After 5 minutes check the donness of the rice.
Close gas,once the rice is cooked.
Close the lid and leave the biryani in the pan for 10 minutes.
Before serving the biryani,mix it lightly with a flat spatulla.
Enjoy this delicious biryani with onion raita.
Makes for 5 servings.
Note:You can add little salt while stirring and frying the vegetables.
This pulao is delicious and tasty as biryani!
Ingredients:( four servings)
Chicken-1/2 kg,
Long rice-400 gms or 2 cups plus 2 tbsp,
Onions-2-sliced,
Ginger paste or shredded -1tsp,
Garlic paste-1tsp,
Tomato-1-chopped,
Red chilli pwd-3/4 tsp,
Garam masala pwd-1/2 tsp,
Whole spices-cloves-4,cinnamon-2 sticks,pepper corn-10,big cardamom-2,small cardamom-5,mace-1,star anise-1 and bayleaf-2.
Shah jeera or black cumin seeds-1 tsp,
Ghee-2 tbsp,
Canola oil-2 tbsp,
Water-3 cups,
Salt to taste,
Mint leaves-2 tbsp,
Green coriander leaves-2 tbsp,
Green chilli-4 slit,
Lemon juice-2 tsp or half lemon juice,
Kewra water-1 tsp(optional)
Note:You can have your own ratio of chicken to rice.
I like rice so the ratio is high.
For one kg chicken you can use 1/2 kg rice(6 people)
You can use the same amount of onions, tomato and whole spices for making with one kg of chicken.
Increase red chilli pwd to 1tsp,ginger garlic paste to 2 tsp each and garam masala to 1 tsp.
Measurment of water will be according to rice.
For making plain rice,the ratio is 1:2
One cup of rice to 2 cups of water.
For pulao or biryani use less as the juice of the other ingredients are included too.
It can be 1/4 cup less to 1 cup less then the whole required amount.
If making in a cooker it will be 1/4 cup of water less and if making in a pot it can be 1/2 cup to 1 cup of water less.
Method:(you can make this pulao in a cooker too to save time)
Wash and soak rice for 1/2 hour.
Wash chicken and keep in a strainer to drain out the excess water.
Take a cooker and add 3 cups of water( I have used the same measuring cup to measure rice and water ( use the same cup for measuring rice and water).
Add the whole spices-cloves,cinnamon,small cardamom,big cardamom,cinnamon,mace,star anise,
bay leaf,peppercorns and black cumin seeds.
Add 3/4 tsp of salt.
Add the chicken pieces and close the lid.
Put on high heat and let the chicken cook on high heat.
After one whistle,lower the heat and let it cook for four minutes.
Remove the cooker from gas and let it cool down itsel.( to open the lid).
The chicken should be 90 % cooked.
Put a heavy bottom pan on heat.
Pour 2 tbsp of ghee and 2 tbsp of oil.
As oil and ghee heats up add the sliced onions.
Fry the onion on medium to high heat till they are light brown.
Lower the heat and add ginger garlic paste.
Add 2 to 3 tbsp of water and bhunno the paste for few minutes.
Add the boiled chicken using a slotted spatula to the pan, leaving the stock in the cooker.
Raise the heat and stir fry the chicken for a minute ,then add the stock water.
Stir and as it starts to boil,add the chopped tomato,red chilli pwd,garam masala pwd.
Stir and taste salt.(we have added some salt when the chicken was boiled)
Taste the stock and then add salt.
The stock should have the right amount of salt to make the pulao.
Stir and when the stock starts to boil,then add the soaked rice.
Stir gently.
Sprinkle mint leaves,chopped green leaves, slit green chillies and lemon juice.
Sprinkle kewra water for essence(optional)
Cover with a lid.
Let it cook on high heat for 2 minutes.
Lower the heat and let it cook for 5 minutes.
(Open the lid and check if rice is done or leave for a minute or two)
Close gas and leave it for 10 minutes with the lid on top.
Open the lid and with a flat spatula mix and toss the pulao.
Serve and enjoy the pulao.
This pulao can be eaten just with salad and raita, no korma required.
If using a cooker,then just one whistle is required on high heat.
