Hyderabadi Aloo Biryani

There is something really good about Boston weather since the past few days. Pleasant weather during winter season is very unusual and called for leisure vegetarian cooking with warming flavors. Aloo Biryani and paneer butter masala was our meal . Every day ingredients are all you need to prepare Aloo Biryani and it takes less than an hour to prepare. Do garnish with caramelized onions for that extra oomph to the biryani. 

Hyderabadi Aloo Biryani Recipe

Prep & Cooking: 45-50 mts

Serves 5-6 persons

.

Ingredients:

3 potatoes, peeled, cube and saute in 1 1/2 tbsps of ghee for 8-10 mts till light brown

1 large onion, finely sliced

1 tbsp chopped coriander leaves

1 tbsp chopped pudina leaves

2 tbsps ghee

1 tbsp oil

1 cup thick curd/yogurt

4 green chillis, make a small slit in them

1/2 tbsp ginger garlic paste

1 tsp red chilli pwd (adjust)

1/4 tsp turmeric pwd/haldi

1/2 tbsp coriander pwd

salt as required

pinch of saffron soaked in 3 tbsps luke warm milk for 10 mts

Biryani Masala – dry roast for 2-3 mts and powder:(can buy from store)

2 cloves

1/2″ cinnamon stick

2 elaichi/cardamom

1/4 star anise

1/4 tsp shah jeera

4 pepper corns

Ingredients to cook rice:

2 cups Basmati rice

3 cloves

3 cardamoms

1/2″ cinnamon stick

1 marathi mogga

1 bay leaf

5-6 mint leaves

1/2 tbsp oil

3/4 tbsp salt

water as required

1 In a bowl, add green chillis, mint leaves, coriander leaves and ginger garlic paste, red chilli pwd, turmeric pwd, coriander pwd, biryani masala pwd and salt and combine well. Add the sauteed potato cubes and yogurt and combine. Marinate for 30 mts.
2 Cook basmati rice in lots of water along with bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, marathi mogga, elaichi, mint leaves, oil and salt till its half cooked. Strain the water and spread the rice on a large wide plate.
3 Heat 1 tbsp oil + 1 tbsp ghee in a vessel, add sliced onions, saute for 8-10 mts till caramelized. Remove and keep aside.
4 Take a wide deep vessel to prepare the biryani. Add drizzle some oil all over, add the marinated potato cubes along with the rest of the marinade and spread out in the vessel. Add a cup of water and cook till the potatoes are fork tender and the gravy thickens.
6 Next spread the rice over the potato layer, pour 1/2 tbsp of ghee all over the rice, spread the caramelized onions (keep aside a tbsp of caramelized onions for garnish) over the rice layer. Next sprinkle coriander leaves and pour the saffron milk over the rice.
7 Place lid and over the lid place a heavy weight. Cook on medium high flame for 3 mts. Remove the vessel from fire and place a iron tawa over low flame. Place back the vessel on the iron tawa and cook on low flame and cook biryani for 15 mts. Turn off heat and do not remove lid for 5 mts.
8 Remove lid, combine gently, remove onto a serving bowl. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and caramelized onions and serve hot with raita and curry of your choice.