There is something really good about Vizag weather since the past few days. Pleasant cool weather during peak summer season is very unusual and called for leisure vegetarian cooking with warming flavors. Aloo Biryani and Capsicum Tomato curry was our meal this afternoon. 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
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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:
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.
