Biryani Bonanza

Do you cook the rice and meat separately, or together? Do you use the oven or do you prefer to place your pot on top of a hot iron tawa on the stove? Do you use boned meat, or does boneless come out better? How do you prevent your biryani sticking to the bottom of the pan – do you cook on low heat, or do you layer the bottom with sliced potatoes? The correct answer to each of these of course, is to try them out both ways, and find out for yourself! While you’re at it, why not taste the different regions of India this Republic Day, and try different variations of the biryani? It’ll be a pleasure if you do it with Fortune Rice

Talk about biryanis, and you’ll encounter way too many FAQs... Bombay

For the Rice

250grams (roughly 2 cups)

Fortune Biryani Rice rinsed and soaked for 15 minutes

2 tbsp oil

1 tsp shahi jeera

4-5 black pepper pods

1-inch piece cinnamon

2-3 cloves

2-3 green cardamom

1 large fresh bay leaf

Salt to taste

For the Vegetables

½ cup green peas

½ cup carrots, cut into long pieces

½ cup green beans, cut into long pieces

2 medium sized potatoes, cut into four pieces each

4-5 dried plums or prunes

3 large tomatoes

Whole spices

4 pods black cardamoms

3cm piece cinnamon

8 whole cloves

8 whole peppercorns

1 tsp shahi jeera

3 fresh bay leaves

For the Masala

3 tbsp ghee or oil

4 medium onions, sliced

Green chillies to taste

3 tsp ginger-garlic paste

½ tsp turmeric powder

Red chilli powder to taste

1½ tsp garam masala powder

1½ tsp coriandercumin powder

Salt to taste

Oil for deep frying onions

Plus ½ cup yogurt, whisked

A few strands saffron, soaked in a tbsp of warm milk

For garnish

Tomato slices and coriander strips

2 onions, fried crisp Chopped mint and coriander leaves

Lime or lemon wedges

To cook rice, heat oil and add in the whole spices. When they begin to crackle add in the drained rice and saute briefly. Add water (equivalent to double the rice) and salt, and cook until 75% done. Sieve through a colander.

Heat oil and deep fry onions until well browned. Remove from oil and cool, then grind to a paste.

To cook the veggies, heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pan and throw in the whole spices and green chillies. Allow oil to infuse flavours until spices crackle, then introduce the onion paste, ginger-garlic paste and saute. Stir in tomatoes. Add turmeric, red chilli powder, garam masala powder and coriandercumin powder and salt. Saute until it all comes together.

When well-combined, add the vegetables and prunes cook until vegetables are just about al dente. Add a tiny amount of cooking water if necessary. Cool, and stir in yogurt to keep it all moist. Keep covered until needed.

Assemble biryani in a large baking dish.

Arrange alternate layers of rice and prepared vegetables. Pour over the milk infused with saffron. Cover tightly with alfoil and bake in a moderately hot oven for 20 minutes.

Serve decorated with garnish.