Biryani Rice Recipe

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

Steps

Soaking rice

1. Wash the basmati rice a couple of times with water.
2. Leave the basmati rice to soak in water for 20 to 30 minutes, then drain and set the soaked grains aside.

Sautéing spices, herbs and rice

1. Put oil or ghee into a 3 litre pressure cooker and heat it.
2. Sauté the caraway seeds and whole spices until their aroma is released.
3. Put in the ginger-garlic paste along with the chopped coriander and mint leaves.
4. Sauté for a few seconds, until the raw ginger-garlic aroma has gone.
5. Put in the soaked rice and saffron strands, stirring gently.
6. Mix in 1.5 to 1.75 cups water, 5 to 6 drops lemon juice, and salt thoroughly.

Cooking biryani rice

1. Pressure-cook for 1 to 2 whistles or 6 to 7 minutes. A 2 litre pressure cooker takes longer, about 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Wait for the pressure to fall naturally before opening the lid.
3. For pan cooking, keep the pan tightly covered with a lid. Cook until the grains are tender and all the water is absorbed.
4. The cooked grains must remain separate and well cooked, without becoming soft or mushy.
5. Check occasionally during pan cooking and stir gently if needed. If there is too little water, add as much hot water as required. Cover again and cook until all the water is absorbed and the grains have softened and are perfectly cooked.

Preparing garnish

1. As the rice cooks, heat oil in a small frying pan or skillet. Add the sliced onions and sauté over low to medium-low heat, stirring often, until golden.
2. Help the onions brown quickly by adding a pinch of salt.
3. Take the caramelized onions out and drain on kitchen paper to absorb excess oil.
4. Use the same pan to roast or toast the cashews until golden.
5. At serving time, top the biryani rice with the fried onions, cashews, and coriander or mint leaves.
6. Accompany the biryani rice with raita, any rich vegetarian curry, or dal.