I made Biryani!!
You may wonder what is so big about it, every woman makes it sometime or other but you see it was something everyone has liked. That is something!! Yes!! No complaints only questions as to why I made so little.
So how did I hit on the right mix?
It began with the tomatoes which were ripening and spoilt by the end of the day. So I decided that I will make an onion tomato paste and stick it in the freezer.
1) I made a crush of 4 large onions in the mixer.
2) In between I decided to add some
a) green elichi rinds that I have been hoarding for God knows what say about 10 skins,
b) 2 green elichi/cardamom (optional),
c) 1 inch piece of cinnamon/dalchani,
d) 2 cloves/laung,
e) 5-6 peppercorns/miri,
f) 2 teaspoons of kacha masala,
g) 1/2 tsp of Goan masala (optional),
h) 3-4 green chilies,
i)3 tblspn ginger garlic paste
i) A large teacup heaped coriander leaves, a handful mint leaves 3-4 holy basil/tulsi leaves and grind away.
3) Now add 3 tblsps of oil add all the crush above and
microwave for 3 minutes.
4) In the meanwhile crush 4 tomatoes in the mixer.
Since I had some ½ cup of very old cashew nuts pieces I added them and crushed them.
5) Add this to the onion paste stir well and microwave for another 2-3 minutes. Cool and freeze. This paste you can use in any of your Punjabi gravy dish or a quick fix for any vegetable depending on your taste.
6) In another bowl mix chopped vegetables like cauliflower , carrots, green peas with 1 ½ cup of curd, turmeric, 1 tsp chilli powder,2 onions sliced lengthwise and fried in oil golden brown, salt to taste. Keep aside for 2-3 hours. (I used only green peas as vegetables, because of the girl's mutiny and threat, that they will not eat if I use the cauliflower etc. and left it in the fridge overnight).
7) Next day cook 1 cup rice with only 1 cup of water.
8) While the rice is cooking add to 1 cup of the onion paste mixture that you have marinated and cook for 1 minute in the microwave. (As I was feeling quite disappointed with the amount of vegetable I decided to add paneer cut fine. So I mixed the paneer and microwaved for 1 minute).
9) Then arrange one layer of rice then add one layer of vegetables gravy repeat with rice in a thick bottomed pan. Since my quantity was small and pressure pan quite big I was done in 3 layers.
10) Add 1/2 cup of milk in which you have soaked saffron on top of the rice layer. Cover.
11) Return the pan on the stove on low flame. Since I use the pressure pan I use the gasket and do not use the weight /whistle on top. My test of the biryani done is when it starts gently steaming on the top.
12) Serve with tomato, cucumber, boondi raita.
