BIRIYANI

   

The name Biryani originated from the Farsi/Persian word Biryan meaning ‘fried before cooking’. Originated in Persia or in the Arab area, there were very many ways in which this Eighth Wonder In The World of Food travelled to India.

It is said that it was first made by the nomads of West Asia or the Middle East, who used to dig up a hole in the ground, put in the rice, meat and spices in a container and covered the pit. When they would come back to the pit in the evening and dig out the container, they would find an amazing, aroma-filled delicacy that they went to call Biryan now known as Biryani. It is also said that the wife of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan – Mumtaz Mahal, brought together this dish and ordered it to be made for the entire Mughal army as she thought it was a wholesome dish with all the nutrition and energy.

From the Mughals, this amazing dish is said to have spread to the realms of Awadh (now known as Lucknow), Hyderabad and Kolkata. It is said that Aurangzeb brought this dish to Hyderabad when he came to invade the South of India. Biryani was known to be the royal dish of the Nawabs and Nizams and went on to be a dish synonymic with celebration.

• Ingredients
• Masala

Mutton/Chicken            -1kg

Yogurt                           -160gm

Ginger garlic paste       -1 tbsp

Green chilly                  -12 nos

Coriander leaf               -1/2cup

Mint leaf                       -2 tbsp

(Grind together green chilly, coriander leaf and mint leaf)

Chilly powder               -1 tspn

Turmeric powder         -1/4 tspn

Golden fried onion       -3 big

(crushed into powder with hands)

Oil                                  -4 tbspn

Salt                                -needed

• ·       Garnish

Golden fried Onions                        -1 med sliced (thin)

Golden fried Cashew nuts              -25 gms

Golden fried Raisins                        -25 gms

Coriander leaf                                  -1/2 cup

Pineapples chunks                          -1/2 cup(optional)

Tutti frutti                                       -3 tbspn(optional)
Boiled eggs                                     - 3 (optional)
Food colour (saffron colour)        - optional

• ·       Rice

Basmathi rice               -1kg

Cardomom                   -6 nos

Bay leaf                         - 4nos

Cloves                           -5 nos

Cinnamon sticks           -2 one inch piece

Pepper corns                -2 tspn (optional)

Cumin seeds                 - 1tspn (optional)

Salt needed                  -needed

• ·       Preparation method

Mix together all the masala ingredients with meat. Mix well and keep refrigerated for one night (should keep marinated for atleast 1hr).

Soak the basmathi rice for ½ hr. Boil water and add rice and all spices.Add needed salt.  Drain the rice when it is 75 % cooked.

Now take a thick bottomed pan add the marinated mutton. On top of this add ½ of the steaming rice. To the top of this spread ½ of the ghee, little coriander leaf , pineapple, tutti-frutti. Spread the remaining rice and garnish and food colour as above. Cover tightly with aluminium foil and lid. Keep some weight on top making sure no steam escapes. First keep the vessel in high flame for 3 minutes. Then reduce the flame and cook for 45minutes.Open the vessel and serve biriyani garnished with fried onion,eggs, cashew and raisins.