Biryani For Dummies A Reference For The Rest Of Us Recipes

HOW TO MAKE BIRYANI

Steps:

• Wash the basmati rice. Before you begin cooking, you need to wash the rice. Fill a large bowl with cold water and pour in the rice. Use your hand to stir the rice in one direction. The water should get cloudy, so pour off the cloudy water. Refill the bowl with water. Continue rinsing the rice until the water is clear. Washing the rice removes surface starches and any debris.
• Soak the rice. After you have you rinsed the rice, soak it. Place the rice in a bowl of cold water and let it soak for 30 minutes to 2 hours. Soaking the rice helps the grains expand and be fluffy. You can soak the rice in the water you plan on boiling it in. If you do this, then the amount of water you need to use is 1.25 times the amount of rice. For 2 cups of rice, use 2 1/2 cups of water.
• Chop the vegetables. If you are adding mixed vegetables, such as carrots, beans, tomatoes, cauliflower, or peas, cut them into smaller pieces. Make sure you wash the vegetables and set them aside, ready to be added to your rice.

BASIC BIRYANI

Steps:

• In a large bowl rinse the rice with cold water several times until the water runs clear and then drain well.
• In a large non-stick pan, melt butter at medium high heat and gently fry the onion and ginger together. Add the whole cumin seeds and fry til they just start to pop. Then add all the ground spices and cook for an additional few minutes.
• Add the damp rice, stir to thoroughly coat the rice grains with butter and spices and until any residual water has evaporated, then pour everything into a casserole dish with a lid. Add the whole herbs and spices to the casserole. Use a bit of the broth to rinse out the pan and pour the contents into the casserole dish. Add the rest of the broth.
• Bake covered at 350 deg F for 30-35 min or until the rice is tender. Fluff lightly with a fork and serve.
• Variation: Add 3/4-1 pound of cooked diced chicken, left-over fish chunks or other seafood to the top of the casserole dish in the last 10-15 min of cooking to warm through.
• Note: If you don't have any chicken broth, bring 2 cups of water to boiling with 1 chicken bouillon cube. Use vegetable stock if you want to keep this vegetarian. Use seafood broth if you're doing a fishy variation.
• Note: Remember how many cloves, cardamom pods, bay leaves and cinnamon sticks you used so you can fish them out before serving your dish as you don't want any unpleasant surprises.

BIRYANI FOR DUMMIES- A REFERENCE FOR THE REST OF US!!!!

Steps:

• Heat the 1/2 the ghee.
• Stir fry the cumin seeds. When they sizzle add the chopped onion. Cook for a minute.
• Add the garlic ginger, cashew nuts, tomato sauce, green chutney/mint leaves,yogurt, all the spices except for the garam masala. cook for 4 mins until you get a wonderful aroma.
• Put paste in a blender and blend till smooth.
• In a fresh pan heat the rest of the ghee.
• Add the paste fry till the oil starts oozing out from the paste.
• Add the veggies. Add a little water if required and cook till the veggies are done.
• Add the garam masala. Take off the heat.
• Mix the rice into the veggies.
• Garnish with sliced fried onions.