Vegetable biryani: for someone very special

Vegetable Biryani

For the rice, you will need:

Basmati rice, good quality                1 ½ cup, soaked in water for 20 minutes

Boiling water                                     4 cups + extra

Potli or bouquet garni:                 1, consisting of the following items

A small piece of cheese/muslin cloth

Black cardamom        2

Green cardamom        4

Cloves                         6

Black pepper corns    5

Bay leaf                      2

Cinnamon stick          2 inches          

Gather all the four corners and tie it up using kitchen strings/thread

Shaahi jeera/caraway seeds              1 tsp

Salt                                                     to taste

For the vegetable base (about 800 gms in total):

Fresh green peas/frozen peas            ½  cup

1 medium potato                                cut into 6 pieces

Carrot, washed, peeled and cubed    ½ cup

Cauliflower florets                            ½ cup

Close cup mushrooms                         ½ cup

Broccoli                                              ½ cup

Green pepper, cut into large chunks1

Ginger garlic paste (ratio 1:1)           2 tbsp

Kashmiri red chilli powder               1 tbsp (adjust to taste)

Salt                                                     to taste

Yogurt                                                1 cup

Garam masala powder                      1 tsp

Green cardamom powder                  ½ tsp

Brown onions                                    1 cup

Pure ghee, melted                              2 tbsp (+ 2 more if you feeling really great)

Fresh coriander, chopped                  2 tbsp

Fresh mint leaves                              10

Green chillies                                     2, slit

Turmeric powder                               ¼ tsp

Lime juice                                          1

For the layering:

Finely chopped coriander                 2 tbsp

Fresh mint leaves                              3-4

Brown onion                                      2 tbsp (1 tbsp for each layer)

(Brown onions: can be bought from Asian groceries or use home made)

Garam masala                                    1 tsp (1/2 tsp for each layer)

Green cardamom powder                  ¼ tsp

A few strands of saffron                    soaked in about 40 ml warm milk

Ghee                                                    2 tbsp

                                                           

Method:

To prepare the rice: Put some water in a large open mouth pot and add the potli/bouquet garni, 1 tsp of shaahi jeera or caraway seeds, and salt. While the water boils. Marinate your veggies.

For the vegetable marinate: Tip in all the ingredients as listed (under 'for the vegetable base). Mix the vegetables with the spices and yogurt very gently. At the end, add ¼ tsp turmeric powder and juice of 1 lime. Mix thoroughly again leave it to marinate for at least ½ hour.

In the meantime, let’s cook the rice. Drain the soaked rice well and add it to the boiling fragrant water. Stir. The trick here is to make sure that the rice is not over cooked. I drain the rice when it’s about a ¾ done. You can keep the rice half done; as the whole point here is to steam the rice with the vegetable, so that it can absorb the aromas and the juices of the marinating vegetables. Overcooking or adding fully done rice to your marinate will only lead to a mushy consistency; which is not desirable in a biryani dish. 

The next step is assembly of the two dishes: the veggies and the rice: For that take a wide mouthed pan (something like a handi or dekchi). Brush the inside of the pot with some ghee and tip in the vegetable mix. Now start adding the half done rice on top of the veggies. Use half the rice for the 1st layer. The remaining portion will be used in the next. On top of the 1^st layer, sprinkle the following ingredients:  2 tablespoon of chopped coriander, 3-4 mint leaves, 1 tbsp brown onion, ½  tsp garam masala powder and ¼ tsp green cardamom powder. Do not mix these spices and herbs. Sprinkle evenly and let them be as they are.

Now bring in the remaining rice. Add a layer of it (Leave out the potli/bouquet garni; the flavours of the same has already been incorporated into the rice). To top up, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of brown onion, ½  tsp of garam masala and saffron soaked in warm milk. Finally, spoon in a couple of tablespoon of melted ghee around.

To cook, you will need something to seal the lid of the pan. I use aata (flour dough); however, if you want, go ahead and seal it up with aluminium foil. Just ensure that they are no gaps for steam and aromas to escape. This process of sealing is really important and is usually referred to as 'cooking at dum'. For best results I'd always seal with aata (flour) dough. 
To seal with dough: take the dough and mould it in the shape of a thick string (or a rope, not very thin though). Now stick this along the edge (the rim) of the pot. Put on the lid and ensure that it is sealed by the aata dough. Keep some extra dough handy; during the steaming process if you see steam escaping, then use a little to fill in the gap. I love this process; its like playing with play dough again J

Next up, on medium heat, let the biryani cook for 8-10 minutes. Reduce the flame to minimum and continue cooking for another 15-18 minutes. If you think the vegetables are going to burn at the bottom of the pot; fear not :) help is at hand. A simple trick does it : take a griddle or a tawa… Put the pot on top of it and then put the tawa (with the pot on top) back onto heat again. In this method the heat is only indirect and is an amazingly safe way to slow cook. 

So, that's it. I love the way the aromas of the biryani floats around by kitchen now... That's what makes it so appealing. The moment of truth is in eating it though :) 

Your scrumptious biryani is ready. A good biryani is that which has perfectly steamed rice; and most importantly the grains are separated. To serve: open the lid; do not mix but serve it like the way you would a lasagna. I find that a spatula is the best tool to serve biryani. Ensure everyone gets a good helping of the amazingly moist veggies and the fragrant rice.

Biryani goes very well with onion, cucumber and tomato raita!

Post script: Biryani as a dish is definitely a royal treat. Initially I was under the assumption, that, ‘It’s best left to the professional chefs.’ However, the truth is: biryani preparation isn’t rocket science. If at all it was so tough as a dish; it wouldn't have survived through centuries in the Indian sub-continent. I am not sure what the fuss is all about preparing biryani at home... if at it's really exciting. 


Talking of the fuss again: I am sure it is not in preparing 'half done rice'. All the cooking it really needs is  par boiling the rice: which takes about 7 minutes (from scratch); steaming the assembled dish (takes me 10+15 minutes). So, that's a little over 30 minutes of actual cooking time (Technically, my favourite brand of pre-made pizza takes 20 mins in the oven)! Preety decent actually. What takes time in biryani preparation is perhaps gathering all the ingredients and assembling the dish. But then, having said that, it is a one pot meal .. If you are using the right ingredients it is a very healthy option (unless you start eating it everyday). So, go for it and wow people with your very own biryani dish J

(I hope you like this one: especially ‘P’ and ‘S’ J , Watch this space for the pictures of my very own biryani)

Update:

5th March, 2011, Monday

As promised, I am getting back with a photo story of my own biryani. Today's dish is totally dedicated to 'K' ...well done!! Loads of love too :)

Bouquet garni or Potli

Caramelised brown onion

Mixed vegetable marinate

Potli, shaahi jeera, salt & a tad bit oil goes into the water; and then set to a rolling boil

Half done rice done

Marinate veggies in form the base layer

That's the rice layered-all done. Sorry I messed up the photograph of the 1st layer :P

The dough in place. I have a little extra dough to seal the steam hole on the lid 

Ah! that's the lid sealed and the pot placed on high heat for 8 minutes and then further cooked on low for 17-18 mins

..................In the meantime; while the magic conjures in the pot; I am cracking with the raita

That's minced onion and cucumber; a little sprinkling of chopped spring onion. I am using low fat Greek yogurt... a couple of good dollops

Raita done. Not seasoned yet; this goes into the refrigerator and comes out once the biryani is plated. I can't stop staying: I just love the tangy crunchy raita with the delicate biryani :)

That's the labour of love... !! Vegetable biryani served with cucumber & onion raita. 

Folks, mission accomplished.... Hope you enjoyed the photo story & make sure you try it out... I'd love to hear from you :)

Much love

Maverick cook :)