Biryani
1 large onion, sliced
1 T oil
4 cups mixed diced vegetables
cauliflower
green beans
carrots
potatoes
bell peppers
tofu
1/2 cup cashews
1 cup plain yogurt
1 t tumeric
1 t salt
1 cup Basmati rice, washed and soaked for 15 mins
4 cups water
1 t oil
1 cinnamon stick
1 bay leaf
2-4 peppercorns
2-4 whole cloves
1 star anise
small pinch saffron
2 T warm milk (I use soy milk)
1 T oil
1 t cumin seeds
1 t fenugreek
1/2 t fennel seeds
2 T garlic ginger paste
1 green chili, minced
4-5 tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup peas
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup slivered almonds
- In a large sautee pan over low heat carmalize onions. I start this first thing, before I’ve prepped anything else; it will take a long time.
- In a large bowl combine vegetables, cashews, yogurt, tumeric, and salt.
- In a large sauce pan bring water, oil, and all seasonings except saffron to a boil. Add rice and cook for 5 minutes. Drain. Mix saffron and milk, let sit 5 minutes, and pour over rice.
- In a large pan heat oil over medium high heat. Add cumin, fenugreek, and fennel. Let toast for 10-30 seconds. Add garlic ginger paste and green chili. Let cook further for 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and cover and let stew for 5 minutes. Add vegetable-yogurt mixture and let cook until carrots and potatoes are just begnning to soften. Mix in peas. There should be a fair amount of liquid (1 cup), if not add 1/2 cup water.
- In a deep greased casserole dish with a lid, layer 1/3 rice, 1/2 vegetables, 1/3 onions, 1/3 raisins and almonds. Repeat. The last layer should be rice, onions, raisins and almonds.
- Optional, pour 1/4 cup melted butter over the top.
- Cover dish and bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.
- Let stand 5 minutes and serve.
When I was in college I started liking non-American/European food. Japanese, Chinese, Indian, Ethiopian. I especially liked Indian food. At that point I was just starting to be vegetarian, and those cusines make it a lot easier to eat without meat.
In one of my classes I had to make a dish from another culture, and document it. I chose to make Biryani. And so began my love of the dish.
Did you know there are two types of rice dishes in India? Pualo and Biryani. Pualo is a rice dish where the rice, seasonings, vegetables, and broth are simmered together to cook the rice. Biryani on the other hand is par-boiled rice, layered with par-cooked vegetables in a tomato based sauce, and baked or cooked over low heat.
I’ve been perfecting my Biryani for some time now, and I think I’ve got it. It uses every pan in the house, but it’s worth it.
