Cook Biryani is basically a mix of rice and meat cooked in a special sauce called biryani. The ingredients used in a recipe for biryani include rice, clarified butter, onions, ginger, dry red or white mustard, coriander seeds, dried mint and other spicy herbs, black cardamom, cumin, chilies, cloves, and pepper. A thin layer of oil is also added to the recipe for biryani to help it stick to the rice. When using store bought biryani, it is important to use a low sodium oil, as Indian cooking is very salty and the oil used should therefore be low-sodium, or else it will give the recipe for biryani a bad taste.
To cook the rice correctly, make sure that the water is boiling before you add the grains. This can be done by placing the rice into a pan with two cups of water, then bringing it to a boil. Once the rice has started to boil, cover it with another cup of water. Then, place the cooker lid and cook the rice for approximately five minutes. This method allows the rice to be soft and fluffy, while providing the moisture that is necessary to make the rice bond with its surroundings.
After this process, it is time to cook the meat. You can either use a dedicated rotisserie or simply use a regular frying pan to cook the meat. Typically, Indian households have one rotisserie to cook meat and vegetables together, while a few homes have separate cooking pans for both the meat and the vegetable. If you are looking to cook meat on your own, use a separate pan to prevent the meat from sticking to the bottom of the pan. If you are looking to cook Basmati rice in a separate pan, simply place the rice in the pan and turn the flame on medium low to slowly cook the rice.
Once the meat has cooked in the separate pan, add it to the pot and mix it with the other ingredients. Some families will use a traditional method of adding spices and herbs to the biryani rice, while others may prefer to go with a more modern method that doesn’t require an extra step. For a traditional method of preparing the rice, you would simply add some oil (such as olive oil) to the marinade, mix it up, cover and cook it. For a modern method, you simply combine the marinated chicken, onions, garlic, turmeric, salt, sugar, dry mustard, corn flour, and dried fenugreek leaves in a bowl and stir until the ingredients start to blend.
After the mixture begins to boil, you’ll want to add some water or stock to help thicken it. Depending on your desired strength, you’ll want to adjust the boiling water temperature as well. If you’re using short grain rice, it will likely need to be cooked quicker so add some extra water or stock to bring the rice to a simmer. Cooked rice is best served with basmati or chapatis, which are both coarse grains that yield soft grains. If you prefer split grains, such as Basmati or Chathong, they’ll need to be cooked longer to yield their true flavor.
When completed, add the chopped pieces of marinated meat to the pot and stir to combine. Bring the liquid to a boil and continue to stir while cooking for another five minutes. At the end of the five minutes, add the rice to the pot and cook as usual. You can serve the biryani right out of the oven, but you can also keep it warm on a cast iron skillet in the oven for up to a day or two before serving.
If you’d like a spicy version of this dish, try cooking mint leaves or mint juice with a few drops of turmeric added. In a small bowl, combine the cooked rice along with the cooled turmeric, coriander leaves, mint leaves, and a pinch of salt. Heat your oil to a low temperature and begin frying your coriander leaves and mint leaves until they’re almost tender. Add the biryani and oil mix to the mix and gently swirl to combine. Place your curry on a hot plate and let it steam until it’s heated through, then serve.
The exact amounts for this recipe are going to vary depending on your tastes and the amount of fish you have in your refrigerator. I would recommend adding an extra tablespoon of oil if you have leftover chunks of fish. You may also want to experiment with the spices you use for your marinades to find a combination you enjoy. For a more economical method of cooking this dish, try cooking it on a pressure cooker!
