

Kashmiri
Kashmiri Biryani
- Duration: 1 hour
- Serves: 5–6 people
-
Spice Level: Medium
Trivia Tadka
Ingredients
- Basmati rice (2 cups)
- Water (7 cups)
- Salt (to taste)
- Saffron (kesar) (¼ tsp)
- Carrot (gajar), diced (1/4 cup)
- Cauliflower (gobi), cut into florets (1/4 cup)
- Peas (matar) (1/2 cup)
- Clarified butter (ghee) (4 tbsp)
- Caraway seeds (shah jeera) (1 tsp)
- Cinnamon (dalchini) (1 stick)
- Green cardamom elaichi (2–3)
- Cloves (laung) (2)
- Mace (javitri) (1)
- Fennel powder (saunf) (1 tsp)
- Ginger powder (saunth) (1 tsp)
- MTR Lal Mirch/Red Chili Powder (1 tsp)
- Asafoetida (hing) (a pinch)
- MTR Garam Masala (1 tsp)
- Yogurt (dahi) (6 tbsp)
- Label (For the layers)
- Mint (pudina) and coriander (dhaniya) leaves, chopped (1/2 cup)
- Saffron (kesar), soaked in warm milk (1/2 tsp)
- Almonds (badam) and cashews (kajoo), deep-fried (1/4 cup)
Method
- Wash and soak rice in water for 30 mins.
- Drain the soaked rice and cook it in approximately 7 cups of water till it is partly cooked.
- Drain the remaining water and sprinkle saffron on the rice. Stir to combine and set aside, covered.
- Heat ghee in a pan over medium heat and add the whole spices. Fry for 10–20 secs until aromatic.
- Next, add the veggies and sauté for 5 mins.
- Add dry spice powders and sauté for 1–2 mins.
- Then, add yogurt along with 1 cup of water and salt. Stir to mix.
- Cover the pan with a lid and cook till the veggies are cooked.
- Next, grease a heavy-bottomed kadhai or handi with a tablespoon of ghee.
- Layer the base with 1/4 of the cooked rice.
- Sprinkle some of the chopped mint and coriander leaves.
- Pour a tablespoon of the saffron-dissolved milk.
- Now layer with the vegetable curry.
- Add mint, coriander and saffron-dissolved milk again.
- Make 2–3 layers in a similar way.
- Cover tightly with an aluminium foil and place a lid on top.
- Simmer the biryani over low heat for 10–15 mins. Turn off the heat.
- Let the biryani sit for another 5–10 mins.
- Garnish Kashmiri biryani with mint and coriander leaves, fried nuts and saffron milk.
- It’s now time to serve the mouth-watering biryani piping hot with some chilled raita or hot curry on the side.