I donno the origin of this biryani. I learnt it from the cook(aapa) of my pachi’s house in Belgaum. I guess this is a traditional muslim dish. But for vegetarians my pachi uses vegetables(mainly potatoes) instead of chicken.
Ingredients: Basmathi rice 2 cups Chicken 1/2 kg or Potatoes(you can even add cauliflower,carrot, beans along with potato) 3-4 Onions 2 Coriander leaves 15-20 strands Mint(pudina) leaves 10 Green chillis 5-6 Ginger-garlic paste 2 tea spn Curd 2 tbl spns Food color(orange or yellow) a pinch Biryani masala 1 tea spn Salt Oil 2 tbl spns Ghee 2 tbl spns
If Biryani masala is not available or if you wish to use fresh masala, then dry roast the following and make powder. Cloves 6-7 Cinnamon 2″ piece Cardamom 2 Poppy seeds 2 tea spns Nut meg(Jayphal) 1 small piece
Method: Cook the rice with 2 drops of oil and salt(Oil doesn’t allow the grains to stick together) in around 1:3 water for 10min. (Rice should be only half cooked). Drain the water. Grind coriander leaves, green chilies, mint leaves, ginger-garlic paste, 1/2 onion to a fine paste. Add this paste, salt and curd to chicken or vegetables and keep it aside to marinade. (chicken should marinade for about half an hour to one hour. Vegetables need not be marinated). Cut the onions into thin long pieces. Heat oil & fry them till they turn brownish. Separate out the oil from onions. Heat the oil(left out from frying the onions) in a heavy bottomed pan. Add the marinated mixture along with chicken, salt(add less salt because it is already added to rice), 1/4th of the biryani masala. Spread a thick layer of rice. Then spread a layer of onions, biryani masala, color(mixed in water). Again add a layer of rice & repeat the procedure given in this paragraph till all rice, onions, biryani masala, color is added. From above add ghee. Add 1/2 cup water. Close the lid & cook on low flame for about 10-15minutes. Then remove the flame & let it cook on the heated stove(without flame). Serve hot.
Updated on Sep 15: Today I tried the biryani with Shaan Biryani masala instead of home mase masala. It came out very well.
Serves : 4 Preparation time : 45min – 1hr
This is my aayi’s special bhaji . She serves this with Puri . It is one of the most delicious potato dishes I have ever tasted. My taste buds scream with pain when I eat the sagu given with puris in Bangalore. Just try this and you will know what I mean ;).
Aayi makes this for breakfast. When I was a kid, I used to wake up to the amazing aroma of this bhaji on Sundays. The special homemade masala used for this dish gives a special kick to this dish. It tastes great when it is made spicy. The garlic gives an amazing garlicky taste and aroma. Aayi’s bhaji becomes blood red in color.
Ingredients: 2 cups peeled and chopped potatoes 3/4 cup chopped onions 1 tea spn chopped and crushed garlic 1/4 tea spn methi seeds 7-8 cloves 2″ piece cinnamon A pinch asafoetida 1-2 tea spn chili powder A pinch turmeric Oil Salt
Method: Dry roast 6 cloves, cinnamon, asafoetida & methi seeds. Crush them to powder. Heat oil and add 2 cloves. Add finely chopped onion. Fry till they turn slightly brownish. Add potatoes, water(1 cup), turmeric, salt, chili powder. Cover & cook. When 3/4th cooked, add crushed garlic and the spice powder. Cook till completely done. Serve hot.
Serves : 3-4 Preperation time : 25min
PS: Aayi uses boiled potatoes in it, I cook the potatoes in onion like mentioned above. Either way, it turns out great.
