“So who decides that
today is Biryani Day?” asked my family.
I had cooked two pots of Biryanis (one veg and
other non-veg) as a special treat. The morning paper had screamed that there
are 87 different varieties of Biryanis. I told them that I had an invite to
Trident for biryani trail of 12 biryani’s but couldn’t go because I had
committed to making one for the family.
“Why suddenly so much
fuss over Biryani?” they asked.
Well , why not? Rushina
Munshaw Ghildiyal, a food connoisseur and my food blogger friend had send me a
message few days ago, asking me and many other food bloggers to observe
June25th as #PuloaBiryaniDay. She felt that there were special observance days
around the globe dedicated to food like World Macaron Day, World Nutella Day
and more, but though India is home to rich culinary tradition, we had none. Her
idea was well received in the food blogger’s community. Some more food bloggers
from other parts of India also joined her in this plan of observing this day in
their city. The word spread wild through social media, and lo behold! Whole of
India did celebrate June25th as Puloa Biryani day.
Facebook, blogs,
Instagram, Twitter, all were flooded with biryani pictures and recipes and many
people took part and had potluck or feast at home.
I spent the whole
morning cooking and enjoyed every moment of it. Actually my cooking drill
started a day earlier when I stood in the kitchen to deep fry chopped onions on
low flame till they were dark brown and crispy. I had liked the caramalised
taste of it. Also I had marinated chicken in curd, garlic, ginger, chilies and
spices.
Since I was alone in
the kitchen with music in the background
playing latest Bollywood music, I was in good mood and very attentive. I worked
deligently, watching each step and was quite pleased with the results. It was
raining heavily so I asked my nephew to come and pick me up. I was to take
biryani to my sister’s house (where I spend most of my Sundays)
My sister had cooked
mutton too (in case there was not enough biryani, but nobody touched it) she
had also made raita and had bought potato wafers. I waited as the family sat
down to enjoy the meal and was greatly pleased when the family compliments
started to pour in. They all loved it and said that it was better than what
they order from restaurants. Well, I am glad. But unfortunately, if I am asked
to repeat the same taste, I am not sure if I will be able to make the same
taste once more. (I am creative, you see)
Cooking for me is
an art that cannot be reproduced, so I jot down the recipe to remember what
ingredients I used. Both the Biryanis were made side-by-side, so the taste
differ was only because of meat.
Ingredients
2 cups Basmati rice
(wash and soak in water for half an hour)
3 large onions chopped
lenghtwise (for deep frying)
2 medium onions peeled
and burnt on open flame
8-9 Cardamoms
8-9 Cloves
4-5 star shaped Anise
8-9 Bay leaves
4-5 strands of saffron
dissolved in 1/2cup warm milk
½ kg chicken randomly
chopped
2 medium size potatoes,
chopped and deep fried
200gms Cauliflower deep
fried
2 medium Carrots
chopped and deep fried
2 inch ginger
6cloves of garlic
4 green chilies
1tsp Cumin seeds
1 tsp aniseeds
1 cup Curds
4 medium Tomatoes
50 grams chopped
walnuts
50grams chopped almonds
50grams chopped
pistachio
50grams chopped dates
1 cup milk
1 tsp lime juice
1 cup chopped corainder
leaves
2 tbsp Briyani masala
salt to taste
Method
1.
Marinate chicken with
one inch ginger, 3pods of garlic, 1cup of curds, salt, 1tsp turmeric power and
keep it over night.
2.
Deep fry onions on low
flame till they are dark brown and crispy.
3.
Boil rice till it is
half done, strain and spread in a large plate
4.
Add cloves, bay leaves,
star anis, cardamons, ghee, and saffron dissolved in hot milk to the cooked
rice. Mix and keep it aside.
5.
Start to prepare vegetables
for veg briyani..deep fry chopped potatoes, chopped carrots, and cauliflower.
6.
In a separate pan, heat
1tbsp oil. Add cumin seeds, aniseeds, chopped onions. Add mushroom and corn. Add
fried potatoes, fried cauliflower and fried carrots. Add the mixture of curd
and tomatoes. Add salt and briyani masala. Mix and cook for 2 minutes. Keep the
cooked vegetables aside.
7.
In a pressure cooker pan,
heat 1tbp oil. Add cunin seed, aniseeds, chopped onions. Add the marinated
chicken (as mentioned above in method one). Add mixture of curds and tomatoes.
Add salt and briyani masala. Mix and cook till oil floats on the top. Add
1/2cup water and pressure cook for 2 whistles.
8.
Take a deep pan for
vegetable briyani. Coat it with ghee. Spread deep fried onions.(as mentioned
above in method 2) add 1 cup cooked spice rice (as mentioned in above method 4)
add the cooked vegetables (as mentioned in method 6) cover it with ½ cup spiced
rice (as mentioned in method4). Garnish with deep fried onions, chopped
almonds, pistachio, walnuts, dates. Sprinkle ½ milk over it. Squeeze ½ lemon
juice. Add chopped coriander leaves. cover the pot tightly and seal it with
wheat dough and steam it on low flame for 45 minutes.
9.
Take a deep pan for
chicken briyani. Coat it with ghee. Spread deep fried onions.(as mentioned
above in method 2) add 1 cup cooked spice rice (as mentioned in above method 4)
add the cooked chicken (as mentioned in method 7) cover it with ½ cup spiced
rice (as mentioned in method4). Garnish with deep fried onions, chopped
almonds, pistachio, walnuts, dates. Sprinkle ½ milk over it. Squeeze ½ lemon
juice. Add chopped coriander leaves. cover the pot tightly and seal it with
wheat dough and steam it on low flame for 45 minutes.
10. Serve with onion raita and potato
chips
