The Sharp-Shoot Biryani

Introduction

About this Recipe

By: Mayuri

In my memory bank, Sundays were the perfect days growing up. It consisted of swimming all day long, watching Formula 1 Grand Prix – I was a die hard Damon Hill supporter (that clearly gives my age away ha!) and having my Ba’s Biryani for lunch. For the most part I would eat my 3 bowls of it staggered throughout the day. Once with my feet in the pool, then the second in front of the T.V. and the third outside in my PJ’s as the evening approached and the dreaded school nightmare would begin in my mind. These Sunday’s are just one of those traditions that stuck with me.

Throughout my time in varsity I would try find a decent Biryani but It never matched up. So as soon as I got my first pressure cooker my cousin Nayna whom I spent most of my time off with taught me this quick and easy way to get what I so badly craved every weekend. Only to find out that she had learnt it from my mother!

I can’t tell you how much I used this recipe during the years I worked on Sundays. It is a little unconventional and the rice does tend to get mushy (my favourite kind of rice) and it is not layered and beautiful. But you will eat nothing less than a delicious bowl of Biryani.

If you don’t have a pressure cooker – get one! Jokes, you could easily make this in a pot by following the exact recipe but adding more water and extending the cooking time. Be sure not to stir while it is cooking. You will know its ready when the rice is cooked. As I said in a previous post we have brinjal growing like wild fire here so we decided to add in half a chopped brinjal in here. You can really add anything you like. My bff adds broccoli and its delicious! But no one here will dare eat that besides me!

I love my Biryani with loads of chaas (a yogurt cumin gravy which I will post soon) but you can also serve it with dahl. Or if you are my better half – eat it plain!

Sharp Shoot Biryani

Servings

6

Prep:

15min

Cook:

15min

Difficulty:

Easy

Ingredients

3 tsp oil
1 tsp ghee
2 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
2-3 star anise
4-5 cardamom pods
4-5 cloves
4 bay leaves
3 small pieces of a cinnamon stick
1 heaped tsp crushed ginger
1 level tsp crushed garlic
crushed red chili (to your taste)
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp tumeric
1.5 cups white basmati rice
2 cups frozen mix veg
1 cup frozen garden peas
half a chopped brinjal
2 chopped baby potatoes
3 tbsp greek yogurt
1 chopped onion
1 chopped tomato

Directions

Step 1

Wash the rice well to remove the excess starch and then soak in warm water until needed.

Step 2

In your pressure cooker on medium heat add in the oil and ghee followed by the spices – fennel, cumin, star anise, cardamom, cloves, bay leaves and cinnamon sticks. Braise for a minute.

Step 3

Add in chopped onion (red or white will do) and braise until golden.

Step 4

Add in your frozen mix veg, peas, potato and brinjal and mix it well.

Step 5

Add in your masala – ginger, garlic and chili followed by the salt and tumeric. Mix well.

Step 6

Add in yogurt and mix well followed by the rice.

Step 7

Lastly add in the chopped tomato

Step 8

Pour enough water to cover the ingredients in the pot. Close the pot and pressure cook for 10 mins. You can switch off at 8 mins if you don’t want it too mush.

Step 9

Serve hot with either yogurt, chaas or dahl.