Biryani, biriani, biriyani, buriyani, beryani or beriani is a rice- based dish made by long grain basmati rice with choice of meat along with aromatic herbs, spices, flavourings and ingredients slow cooked in a closed vessel. The spices and condiments used may include, but are not limited to, ghee, nutmeg, mace, pepper, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaves, coriander, mint leaves, ginger, onions, and garlic and saffron. The choice of ingredients varies from one region to another. For a non-vegetarian biryani, the main ingredient is the meat — beef, chicken, goat, lamb, fish or shrimp. The dish may be served with yoghurt, chutney or raita, korma, curry, a sour dish of eggplant, boiled egg and salad.Biryani can be classified on the basis of cooking method into two — kachchi biryani (raw) and pakki biryani. Kachchi biryani is prepared with meat marinated with spices overnight and again soaked in yogurt before cooking. The meat is layered with basmati rice, and is cooked on dum (steaming over coals), after sealing the handi (vessel) with a layer of dough. This is a challenging process as it requires meticulous attention to time and temperature to avoid over- or under-cooking the meat. This type of biryani requires a lot of experience and patience.For pakki biryani, the meat marinating time is shorter, and the meat is cooked before being layered with the rice and cooked in a dough-sealed vessel. In pakki aqni (with cooked gravy), the ingredients are already cooked before baking.The gravy is redolent of mace, ittar and kewra. Saffron and cardamom are also used. There is also a vegetarian version of the biryani, which is made from vegetables such as carrots, cashew, peas, cauliflower and potato.Parda biryaniThis biryani is finished in a bread covering and the bread is also eaten along with the biryani. Parda denotes the hiding biryani behind the bread curtain. Ingredients(Serves 2)Mutton 600gOnion, sliced 1 cupGinger, chop 1 inch pieceGarlic, chop (few cloves)Coriander powder 3tspGreen chilies 3 noChili powder 1 tspPoppy seeds 1 tspCardamom, cloves 3 no eachPeppercorns 5 noStar anise 2-3 noCinnamon, stick 1 inchYoghurt 1 cupSalt to taste Desi ghee 3 tbspFor riceBasmati rice 2 cupsOnion ¼ cup onionCloves 3 noCinnamon 1 inchCardamom 3 noBay leaf 2 noSalt to tasteDesi ghee 5 tbspSaffron (few strands)Rose water 2-3 dropsFor breadWheat flour 2 cupSemolina ½ cupCurd 1 cupCaraway 1 tspDesi ghee 1tspSalt to taste Method Wash and marinate the mutton pieces with red chilli, ginger garlic and salt.Roast and powder cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and peppercorns.Grind together red chillies, half the onions, ginger, garlic and green chillies. Heat desi ghee, add sliced onions and sauté, add ground spices. Add mutton, sauté well, add ground poppy seeds.Add moisture and allow the mutton to simmer, keep covered.Once the mutton is cooked, pour in remaining curd and season. Sprinkle powdered spices and remove from fire.For the riceHeat oil, fry onions and remove, add whole spices.When spices crackle, add rice and fry for a few more minutes. Add salt and double the quantity of hot water.When rice is cooked and all moisture has evaporated, remove from fire.For the breadMix all the ingredients together and then mix to form dough.Make sure the dough is soft and not too dry/soft.Knead well and then divide the dough. Now with a rolling pin, roll it out into circles.For the biryaniPlace some prepared rice on the flattened dough and layer with mutton and then again with prepared rice, sprinkle some rose and saffron water on it and add some mint leaves and fried onion on it. Place another flat dough bread on top and seal the sides using a fork. Place on a baking tray and bake over medium heat for 10 minutes so that the bread is cooked and has nice golden brown colour.Serve hot, garnished with fried onions, chopped coriander, mint and fried nuts and raita.
* Tarun Kapoor is executive chef at Doha’s Horizon Manor Hotel. Send your feedback to: exe.chef@horizonmanor.com