Biryani Rice Recipe

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

• 1/2 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.