Biryani Rice Recipe
Biryani Rice, also known as biryani chawal, presents a delicately scented rice dish. This straightforward recipe is effortlessly crafted and pairs harmoniously with indulgent vegetarian curries, raita, or lentils (dal).
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup basmati rice – 200 grams
- 1.5 to 1.75 cups water or add as required
- 2 tablespoons oil (any neutral flavored oil) or ghee (clarified butter)
- 1 tej patta (Indian bay leaf), medium-sized
- 3 to 4 cloves
- 4 to 5 black peppercorns
- 1 star anise (small-sized) – optional
- 1 inch cinnamon
- 3 to 4 green cardamoms
- 2 to 3 single strands of mace
- ½ teaspoon caraway seeds (shahi jeera) – swap with cumin seeds instead
- 1 teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste or 3 to 4 garlic cloves + 1 inch ginger – crushed to a paste in mortar-pestle
- 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)
- 1 tablespoon chopped mint leaves
- 18 to 20 saffron strands
- 5 to 6 drops lemon juice
- salt as required
For Garnish
- ⅓ cup thinly sliced onions or 1 medium-sized onion
- 10 to 12 cashews
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped mint leaves or chopped coriander leaves
Instructions
Soaking Rice
- Rinse the basmati rice for a couple of times in water.
- Soak the basmati rice in water for 20 to 30 minutes. Later drain the water and set the soaked rice grains aside.
Sautéing Spices, Herbs And Rice
- Heat oil or ghee in a 3 litre pressure cooker.
- Add the caraway seeds along with the whole spices and sauté them till fragrant.
- Now add the ginger-garlic paste, chopped coriander and mint leaves.
- Sauté for a few seconds till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.
- Then add the soaked rice and saffron strands. Stir gently.
- Now add 1.5 to 1.75 cups water, 5 to 6 drops of lemon juice and salt. Mix well.
Cooking Biryani Rice
- Pressure cook for 1 to 2 whistles or for 6 to 7 minutes. If you have used a 2 litre pressure cooker, it will take more time to cook – about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Let the pressure fall naturally in the cooker and then only open the lid.
- If cooking in a pan, then cover the pan tightly with a lid. Cook rice till the grains are tender and all the water has been absorbed.
- The rice grains should be cooked well and yet remain separate. They should not become soft or mushy.
- While cooking in a pan, check in between and if needed stir gently. If you feel the water is less in the pan, then add the required amount of hot water.Cover with a lid again and let the rice grains cook till all the water is absorbed and the rice grains have softened and cooked perfectly.
Preparing Garnish
- While the rice is cooking, heat oil in a small frying pan or skillet. Add the sliced onions. Stirring often sauté the onions until they become golden on a low to medium-low heat.
- Add a pinch of salt so that the onions brown quickly.
- Remove and drain the caramelized onions on kitchen paper so that the extra oil is soaked.
- In the same pan, roast or toast the cashews till golden.
- While serving, garnish the Biryani Rice with fried onions, cashews, coriander or mint leaves.
- You can serve Biryani Rice with raita, any rich vegetarian curry or dal as well.
Nutrition
Calories: 402kcalCarbohydrates: 56gProtein: 6gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 13gSodium: 14mgPotassium: 197mgFiber: 3gSugar: 1gCalcium: 55mgIron: 2mg
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