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Palak Biryani

Food Wiki
Palak biryani is a delicately seasoned and fragrant spinach biryani, which is both effortless to make and packed with flavor. This one-pot palak biryani complements well with a vegetable salad or raita.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine Indian
Servings 4
Calories 493 kcal

Ingredients
  

Main Ingredients

  • 2 cups basmati rice – soaked for 30 minutes
  • 1 onion (large) – thinly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste
  • 1 tomato (medium-sized) – chopped
  • 3.5 to 4 cups water or as required
  • 3 tablespoons oil
  • 12 to 15 fried cashews (optional), for garnish
  • salt as required

Whole Spices

  • 1 inch cinnamon
  • 1 star anise (small-sized) – optional
  • 2 green cardamoms
  • 1 or 2 black cardamoms
  • 2 to 3 cloves
  • 1 tej patta (medium-sized)
  • 1 to 2 strands mace

Ground Spice Powders

  • ¼ teaspoon red chili powder
  • ¼ teaspoon Garam Masala
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (ground turmeric)
  • ½ teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon fennel powder (ground fennel)
  • 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder (ground coriander)
  • 1 pinch asafoetida (hing) – optional

For Making Palak Puree

  • 1 medium bunch of spinach
  • ½ cup mint leaves
  • ½ cup coriander leaves
  • 1 or 2 green chilies
  • 5 to 6 almonds

Instructions
 

Making Palak Puree

  • Rinse the palak (spinach leaves) very well in water. 
  • Chop and keep aside. Rinse and chop the green chilies, mint leaves and coriander leaves
  • In a blender, add the chopped spinach leaves, mint leaves, coriander leaves, green chili and almonds.
  • Add ½ cup water and blend to a smooth paste.

Sautéing Onions

  • First rinse and then soak the rice. When the rice is soaking, prepare the spinach puree as mentioned above.
  • Heat oil in a thick bottom and deep pan or pot. Add all the whole spices.
  • Fry for some seconds or till the oil gets fragrant. 
  • Add the sliced onions and fry till they are browned stirring often. Remove some of the fried onions for garnishing.
  • Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry for some seconds. Now add hing and saute for few seconds.

Sautéing Tomatoes And Spinach Puree

  • Add the chopped tomatoes and sauté till the tomatoes becomes soft for 2 to 3 minutes. 
  • Keep on stirring so that the ingredients do not stick to the bottom of the pan.
  • Add the spinach puree and stir. Sauté for 3 to 4 minutes. Now all the dry spice powders one by one and stir.
  • Add salt as required. Drain the soaked rice and add. Stir for 1 to 2 minutes. Pour 3.5 or 4 cups water. 
  • Check the taste of the broth and if required add some more salt.

Cooking Palak Biryani

  • Cover tightly with a lid and cook till the water is absorbed and the rice is tender and fluffy. Fluff the rice.
  • Serve palak biryani hot or warm garnished with the fried onions and fried cashews with a side vegetable curry, raita, yogurt curry or some salad.
  • You can also garnish with herbs like coriander (cilantro) or mint leaves.

Nutrition

Calories: 493kcalCarbohydrates: 86gProtein: 9gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 458mgFiber: 6gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 4195IUVitamin C: 24mgCalcium: 123mgIron: 3mg
Keyword Palak Biryani
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