Pindi Biryani

This is a beautiful vegetarian Biryani without the traditional touch of “dum” and which deviates from the main procedure!I have also used powdered spices rather than whole as this ensures minimal wastage!This Biryani can be ideally baked in oven or put to cook over a tawa and tastes absolutely delicious!This recipe is taken from Nita Mehta’s recipes and I have added a few of my twists to it!

Preparation time : 1 hour

Makes : 5 – 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

For the rice :

1 1/2 cups Basmati rice

2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp turmeric powder(haldi)

The spice powders :

1 tsp Clove powder(laung)

1 tsp Cardamom Powder(elaichi)

1 tsp Cinnamon Powder(dalchini)

1/2 tsp Nutmeg Powder(jaiphal)

The Tomato paste :

5 fresh Tomatoes – pureed

3 tbsp Oil

1 tbsp red chilli powder

1 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste

1 Bay Leaf(tej patta)

1/2 cup chopped green Capsicum

1/2 cup green Peas

2 tsp salt

1 Onion – finely chopped

1 tsp Cumin powder(jeera)

1 tsp Pepper powder(kalimirch)

1/2 cup cream

For the layering ingredients :

1 cup sliced Onions – fried till golden brown(Rista)

1/2 cup thick Yogurt

5 – 6 saffron strands dissolved in 2 tbsp warm milk

4 – 5 drops Kewra essence

1 cup mixed chopped Coriander,Mint and sliced green chillies

METHOD

Prepare the rice :

Soak rice for 30 minutes.Heat 1 litre water in a cooking pot and let it come to a boil.Add rice,turmeric and salt and cook till 3/4 done.Drain in a colander and wash with cold water to stop the rice from cooking.Spread on a tray!Reserve 1/2 cup of rice for layering the top.

For the Tomato paste :

Heat 2 tbsp Oil in a pan and add all the spice powders,red chilli powder and Ginger Garlic paste.when the paste is fried,add the Tomato puree and stir to mix.Cook this puree till almost dry and Oil floats on top.Remove from heat.

In another pan heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil and fry Bay Leaf and Onion till Onion is translucent.Add chopped Capsicum and Green Peas and the cumin and pepper powders and Salt.Cover and cook till vegetables are 3/4ths cooked.Add the prepared tomato puree and mix well.Cool till it is warm and add the cream.Mix to amalgamate.Mix the 1 cup yellow rice with this masala(except the 1/2 cup rice set aside separately)!

Layering the Biryani :

Mix the saffron milk with the yogurt thoroughly.

Use an oven proof glass casserole if cooking in an oven or a Biryani Handi if cooking over the Tawa.Spread 1/2 of the prepared masala rice at the base.Sprinkle over with 1 tbsp of fried Onions,1 tbsp of coriander-mint-chilli mixture and 1 tbsp of the saffron yogurt.Cover with the remaining masala rice and repeat with 1 tbsp of layering ingredients.Now spread the plain yellow rice over this and top with the remaining saffron yogurt,coriander-mint-green chilli and fried Onions.Sprinkle Kewra Water and cover with a big sheet of aluminium foil.Put on the lid

Cooking the Biryani :

Preheat oven to 160°C for 15 minutes.Place the casserole inside and cook for 30 – 35 minutes until the rice and vegetables are done.If cooking on stovetop,preheat tawa for 10 – 15 minutes and put on the Handi.