Round up of A - Z Indian Biryani / Pulao / Khichdi Series

Off and on, I have been part of a blogging group, coordinated by my blogger friend, Srivalli for the past 98 months. Yes it has been that long. Each month, we publish 3 posts per week under set themes as a group and during April and September months, we do month long posting dubbed as mega-marathon. Each marathon, I have something old and traditional and something new to offer. The former category usually helps me record the family recipes while the latter are those I come across and try to explore from my contemporary, real and virtual worlds. This particular marathon has been unique in it's own way as it has been a part of my leaning curve. A regular visitor on my blog would have noticed the series of biryanis, pulaos and khichdis posted here for the past one month. 

I am not new to khichdis but honestly speaking, the mothers in my life never ventured into the biryani / pulao worlds. My grand mothers and my mother in law had started their families even before India got independence and it sounds ridiculous to even imagine them doling out biryanis / pulaos in their traditional south Indian vegetarian kitchens where even the usage of onion and garlic were taboo. I think the Andhra vegetarian cooking was never influenced by the Muslim culture and does not use the spices liberally. Andhra was a part of the Madras presidency before independence and not a part of the Nizam's Hyderabad whose kitchen is the torchbearer for the biryani revolution. My mother has kept up the tradition since my father doesn't eat onion / garlic and they don't even like the spice combination used in the garam masala. The funny thing is that they use all the spices in one form or another but not in that particular combination. I have seen many south Indians who don't prefer garam masala in their food,  surprising it may sound to North Indians whose main variety of rice dishes depend on them for the flavor quotient. 

I ended up with a husband who occasionally can enjoy a biryani / pulao but prefers south Indian style rice dishes over them any day. I used to make a simple vegetable or peas pulao at home now and then like most of my husband's family does though as a blogger, I come across the classic versions. With that kind of background, I was obviously oblivious to the varieties, the biryani and pulao world had to offer until I ventured into it, thanks to this mega marathon. Biryanis and pulaos, a craftsmanship evolved over centuries in the hands of khansamas of the Mughalai / Nawabi kitchens may or may not be replicated to perfection in today's world but along with them, there are plenty of modern varieties and also an equal number of vegetarian versions to suit the palates of vegetarians. For this marathon, I have tried to stick mostly to the versions that were vegetarian in origin except a handful of classic versions from the Nawabi kitchens that I wanted to try, converting them to vegetarian versions. It's like I have opened a pandora's box now and I have plenty of varieties to try later. 😋  Here is my humble effort to record my 'evolution' as one from being not able to differentiate between a pulao and biryani preparation to confidently pull off a decent preparation of a 'biryani / pulao' on my own. I chose to stick with Indian variety grain based dishes in an alphabetical order and here is the list for you to enjoy.

A for Ambur Biryani

Basanti Pulao / Misthi Pulao

Corn - Fenugreek Greens Pulao

Donne Biryani

Ek Toap na Dal 

F for Fada ni Khichadi 

G for Gutti Vankaya Biryani

H for Hyderabadi Vegetable Dum Biryani

I for Iyengar Puliyodhari

J for Jaipuri Mewa Pulao

K for Kashmiri Pulao

L for Lucknowi Biryani

M for Motiwale Pulao

N for Nei Choru

O - Oodhala Pulao

P - Pariba Khechudi

Q - Quinoa Panchkuti Dal Khichdi

R - Rajma Pulao

S - Sindhi Biryani

T - Tehri / Tahiri

U - Uttarakhandi Khichdi

V - Vaal Khichdi

W - Wadi - Subz Pulao

X - Xacuti Masala Veg Pulao

Y for Yakhni Pulao (Vegetarian Version)

Z - Zafrani Pulao

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A - Z Biryani / Pulao / Khichdi Series ~ S for Sindhi Biryani (Vegetarian Version)

I initially thought of including some international recipes in my list to pull off the difficult alphabets in the series and checked with Srivalli, the BM coordinator to see whether I can do so. There was a choice of going with a series of completely either Indian or International biryani / pulao / khichdis for this marathon but not a mix and match kind stuff from both, she confirmed. I chose to go with Indian rice dishes and so was in two minds about trying this biryani as my 'S' dish. Sindhi biryani has become a part of Pakistani cuisine since it is said to have originated in the Sindh province there.  However this dish with the Mughalai touch obviously must have originated in India centuries ago and is not a recent creation. 

This meat and potato based biryani seems to be a quite popular one in Pakistan in general and in the Sindhi community in particular which resides on both sides of the border. In fact it is so popular in Pakistan that it is served in most of the flights of 'Pakistan International Airlines'. What sets this biryani apart from the other regional versions is it being on a spicier and zesty side and also the proportion of masala to the rice used being slightly more. The usage of khatta dahi / sour tasting yogurt, generous amount of chilies and spices, mint, and tangy aloo bukhara (dried plums / prunes) are the prominent features of this biryani. The biryani is layered and cooked in dum style. I substituted soy chunks for meat and pressure cooked it for a quicker version.

Ingredients to marinate:
1/2 cup soy chunks
1/4 cup yogurt
2 tsp. mustard oil
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp. red chili powder
1/2 tsp. ginger - garlic paste
Ingredients to fry:
Oil as needed
1/2 cup thinly sliced onions
1 big potato, peeled and cubed
Other ingredients:
1 tbsp. warm milk + a pinch of saffron strands 
1/2 cup basmati rice
4 dried plums / prunes
1 tbsp. ghee / oil
1 tsp. cumin seeds / caraway seeds
2 pepper corns (optional)
1 or 2 red chilies
2 cloves
2 cardamom
1 inch piece cinnamon
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 inch piece grated ginger / ginger paste
1/2 tsp. garlic paste (I didn't use any.)
1 tomato, chopped
1 green chili (or use as needed)\
1/8 tsp. turmeric powder
Chili powder if needed (I didn't use any)
2 tbsp. mint - cilantro leaves
1 and 1/4 tsp. salt or to taste
3/4 cup water

Prep work:
1. Combine all the ingredients mentioned under 'to marinate' in a bowl while doing the frying part or until they are needed. 
2. I advise against soaking dried prunes since they turn mushy when cooked. I instead chopped each into 3 or 4 pieces since they are big and added them at the end.
3. Mix warm milk and saffron in a small bowl and keep aside.

Directions:
* Heat about 1/4 cup oil in a small pan, add onion slices and fry them until golden brown. Take care not to burn them, by stirring continuously. (I did the shallow frying but they can be deep fried.) Remove the fried onions with a slotted spoon and place them on a paper towel lined plate. Potatoes can be fried for a couple of minutes or fully at this point.
* Heat 1 or 2 tbsp. oil directly in a small pressure cooker or a pan. Add cumin seeds, pepper corns, red chilies, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon and bay leaf. Saute for few seconds and add 1/2 cup chopped onion. Fry until they turn pink.
* Next add ginger - garlic paste, green chilies and saute for few seconds. Add tomatoes, turmeric, mint and cilantro leaves, chili powder if using to the pan and cook until tomatoes soften. Next add prunes, soy chunks along with the marinade, salt and rice (that is washed and drained). Saute for about a minute and add 3/4 cup water and the saffron milk. Close the lid and pressure cook for three whistles.
* If using a pan and not using a pressure cooker, then bring the mixture to a boil and close the lid. Cook on low flame until rice is cooked, for about 15 - 20 minutes and turn off the stove.

So far in my Biryani / Pulao / Khichdi series,
A - Ambur Biryani
B - Basanti Pulao / Misthi Pulao
C - Corn - Fenugreek Greens Pulao
D - Donne Biryani
E -  Ek Toap na Dal Bhaat
F - Fada ni Khichdi
G - Gutti Vankaya Biryani
H - Hyderabadi Vegetable Dum Biryani
I - Iyengar Puliyogare
J - Jaipuri Mewa Pulao
K - Kashmiri Pulao
L - Lucknowi Biryani

M - Motiwale Pulao
N - Nei choru
O - Oodhala Pulao
P - Pariba Khechudi
Q - Quinoa Panchkuti Dal Khichdi
R - Rajma Pulao

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Lucknowi Biryani / Awadhi Biryani (Vegetarian Version)

Biryanis with an intricate blend of exotic spices, complex flavors, and tantalizing aromas have been mesmerizing the Indian culinary field for centuries now. They have become an integral part of the local cuisine so much that we forget that their origin lies in faraway lands, in the western parts of Asia. Biryani seems to have derived from the Persian word 'Birian' meaning ‘fried before cooking’. Though origins of the biryani is up for debates, according to one of the legends, the Turk - Mongol conqueror Taimur is believed to have brought biryani to India. Other story credits Mumtaz Mahal, the woman behind Taj Mahal for it's origins. The Mughals however are credited to spread it far and wide, with innovations that no longer resemble the original version where the meat was marinated overnight and grilled on tandoor. 

The authentic and traditional, non-vegetarian varieties of biryanis which are regarded as gems in today's culinary world, were concocted by the royal chefs of Mughal kitchens and other regional Muslim rulers. Among them, the Nawabs of Lucknow along with the Hyderabdi Nizams were great patrons of biryanis. Awadhi biryani aka Lucknowi biryani which is considered a mild and delicately flavored biryani is a gift from Nawabi kitchens of Oudh aka Awadh. 

Lucknowi biryani is a delicately spiced biryani and is most commonly paired with burrani, a garlic based raita. The original version is a meat based one where initially a yakhni stock from meat is prepared. It is slowly boiled along with spices for an hour or two so that the water used to cook the rice is well infused with the flavors. The biryani is then cooked in a dum pukhth method. It is a layered biryani that is done in three steps. Lucknowi biryani is a form of 'pukki birysni', 'pukki' meaning cooked. The meat (or vegetables here) and rice here are seperately cooked, then layered and the final cooking is done in a sealed handi, a huge cooking pot. The use of fragrant flavorings like gulab jal or the rose water, kewra water and edible ittar as the final touches to biryanis was / is a common practice, one prevalent since the medieval era in Persian cuisine, where the roots of biryani are believed to be in. I also need to mention that I saw some bloggers using yellow chili powder in the recipe. I however also went through recipes of chefs who have supposedly learnt it from Lucknow cooks who are masters of the art and didn't notice any chili powder additions in their recipes and so skipped it.

I made a vegetable based biryani that was mildly flavored. I have to admit this was one dish I failed miserably at my first attempt. This was not my first layered biryani but the first one I cooked for this marathon. I followed the original recipe to a T and ended up adding water at the end going against my instincts. Oh boy, the final dish was a such mushy one and the rice was all broken into bits which was only fit to trash. I got so mad at the failure of the recipe that instead of giving up, I surprisingly ended up cooking another batch immediately.  I did a layered biryani but didn't realize that I spread the plain rice layer over top in the platter and the coloful part of rice is hiding underneath until it was time to edit images. Seems like that I didn't mix the rice enough and that's why it is looking like a white biryani.

Recipe source: Here
Ingredients for rice:
1 cup basmati rice
1 tsp. caraway seeds / shahjeera
2 cloves
1 inch cinnamon stick 
1 black cardamom
1 green cardamom
1 bay leaf

Ingredients for the vegetable gravy:
3 to 4 tbsp. ghee (divided)
1 tsp. shahjeera / caraway seeds
2 cloves 
1 star anise
1 mace
1 inch cinnamon stick 
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg 
1/4 tsp. pepper corns
1 tbsp. ginger paste
1 tbsp. garlic paste
About 2.5 cups diced, mixed vegetables*
Salt to taste
1/2 to 3/4 cup yogurt

* I added peeled and diced carrots and potatoes, green beans cut into 1 inch pieces and green peas. Cauliflowers are an usual addition.

Ingredients for garnishing:
2 onions, thinly sliced
2 tbsp. coarsely chopped mint leaves
Rose water as needed
Kewra water as needed
1 tbsp. unsalted butter / ghee
2 tbsp. warm milk + 2 pinches of saffron milk

Other Ingredients:
Wheat dough as needed if using to seal.

Prep work:
* Wash and soak rice in water for about 30 minutes. Drain and keep aside.
* Soak milk and saffron together in a small bowl and keep aside.
* Heat 2 tbsp. ghee in a pan and add sliced onions. Shallow fry them until golden brown and drain on absorbent towels. (One can add more oil and fry them.)

Part 1 - Cooking vegetable gravy:
* To the same pan, add caraway seeds and when they start to sizzle, add 2 cloves, star anise, mace, 1 inch cinnamon stick, nutmeg and peppercorns. Saute them.
* Next add ginger and garlic paste and saute until the raw smell leaves.
* Add vegetables and salt to the pan and saute for a couple of minutes. Lower the heat and add yogurt. Stir for few seconds, cover and cook until the vegetables are tender.

Part 2 - Cooking rice:
* While the vegetables are being done, prepare the yakhni to cook rice. Heat about 6 cups of water in a pot. Tie a tsp. of caraway seeds, 2 cloves, 1 inch cinnamon stick, 1 black cardamom, 1 green cardamom in a piece of muslin cloth and tie in a bundle. Add the bundle and bay leaves to the water. Let the water simmer for about 20 minutes so that spices infuse their flavor to the water. 
* Bring water to a rolling boil and add salt. (When you taste water, it should feel a little salty.) 
* Add the soaked and drained rice to the water and gently mix once. Do not cover and continue to cook on high flame, until the rice is 80% cooked. The rice should be almost done with a slight bite at the center of the grain when tasted. (It takes about 6 to 7 minutes.)
* Discard the spices in the cloth bundle and the bay leaves. Save some of the cooked water and transfer the rice to a colander. Rinse rice immediately with cold running water to avoid the rice from further cooking. Drain completely and stir the remaining ghee into the rice. Keep it aside.

Part 3 - Assembling the rice:
* Heat a iron griddle / tawa while assembling the layers. 
(I was lazy to get my griddle out and used a old pressure pan instead.)
* Take a heavy bottomed pot, preferably a non stick one to assemble the biryani. Spread half of the fried onions at the base. Spread half the rice over onions. (I did the rice first and spread the onions over it.) Sprinkle half of the saffron milk.

* Then spread a layer of cooked vegetables and chopped mint.
 
* Then repeat the layers one more time. Rice would be the last layer, (I had some extra fried onions and so, sprinkled on top as well.) Sprinkle saffron water. Sprinkle rose water and kewra water over the rice evenly.
* Dot the rice with unsalted butter / ghee. Sprinkle about 1/4 cup saved water. (I did not use water and sprinkled only some to avoid the rice becoming mushy. The remaining 20% of the rice cooking is supposed to be done in dum style, cook in it's own steam.)
* Tightly wrap the pot with aluminium foil sheet and cover with a lid. Or just cover with a lid and seal the circumference of the pot and the lid with wheat flour dough.

* Set the stove to the lowest setting or to the lowest flame and place the covered pot on the griddle. Cook until the rice is cooked, about 20 to 25 minutes.
* Remove from heat and set aside for 5 minutes. Open the lid, fluff the rice and serve with burrani or any other spicy gravy.

So far in my Biryani / Pulao / Khichdi series,
A for Ambur Biryani
B for Basanti Pulao / Misthi Pulao
C for Corn - Fenugreek Greens Pulao
D for Donne Biryani
E for Ek Toap na Dal Bhaat
F for Fada ni Khichdi
G for Gutti Vankaya Biryani
H for Hyderabadi Vegetable Dum Biryani
I for Iyengar Puliyogare
J for Jaipuri Mewa Pulao

K for Kashmiri Pulao

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#99.

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A - Z Indian Biryani / Pulao / Khichdi Series ~ H for Hyderabadi Vegetable Dum Biryani

Biryani has evolved over centuries and cooking styles, from an army dish to a tantalizing treat fit for royals, ending up being a synonym to the local culture. The many varieties and variations of biryanis reflect the gastronomic histories of the regions, the local touches and the preferred regional tastes. The kitchens of Hyderabadi Nizams, of course inspired by Mughal kitchens seem to be the torchbearers of 'Biryani' revolution. It all started when Nizam-ul-Mulk was appointed the ruler of Hyderabad by Aurangzeb. His chefs reportedly experimented with spices and flavors to create about 50 versions of flavored meat biryanis. 

They are also credited coming up with a unique, aromatic saffron infused rice that was layered, that has come to be known as the Hyderabadi Dum biryani. This non vegetarian culinary delight is complimented with some of these chefs' other creations like mirchi ka salan or baingan bhartha. An authentic Hyderabadi biryani is a popular example for a 'kutchi' style biryani. Unlike elsewhere, the meat and rice are not cooked separately in case of this biryani. The raw rice and raw meat are cooked together with exotic spices in a 'kutchi' (raw) style. The 'dum pukth' method, which means slow breathing oven in Persian was and still used to make the biryani. The ingredients are loaded in a pot and slow cooked over charcoal, sometimes from the top too. The pot is sealed around the edges with dough so that steam wouldn't escape and the meat tenderizes in it's own juices while flavoring the rice.

Being a vegetarian, I prepared the classic dish using vegetables and served it with bhindi ka salan. I used 1 inch sized pieces of green beans, chopped carrot, chopped potatoes, and green peas. Paneer, mushrooms, cauliflower or soy chunks can be additional ingredients. If using paneer, add at the end of the vegetable gravy preparation. If using soy chunks, soak them in hot water for few minutes, squeeze the water and add in the middle of vegetable cooking. The laundry list of ingredients and instructions may seem intimidating but trust me, this is not such a difficult task to master.  One doesn't need any special utensils to cook this dish. A heavy bottomed pan with a lid will do. A non-stick one, preferably. And if your's is a full fledged Indian kitchen, probably even don't need to run to the store for spices.

I have divided the whole process into 4 steps for convenience and ease. To begin with, soak the rice and start working on step 2.
Step 1. Soaking and cooking rice.
Step 2. Preparing a vegetable gravy. (Do this while the rice is being soaked and cooked, to cut down the biryani making time.)
Step 3. Layering the rice and vegetable gravy in a pot / pan. (This is child's play and takes less than 5 minutes.)
Step 4. Cooking the biryani in 'dum' style. (One minute of prep work and about 25 minutes of cooking with no supervision.)

Ingredients for cooking rice: (Step 1)
1.5 cups of basmati rice
3 cloves
1 inch cinnamon
1 bay leaf
1 star anise
3 cardamom
1/2 tsp. salt
6 cups of water

Ingredients for vegetable gravy: (Step 2)
3 tbsp. ghee / oil
1 tsp. shahjeera / caraway seeds
3 green cardamom
1 black cardamom
3 cloves
1 inch piece cinnamon
1 star anise
1 bay leaf
1 onion, finely chopped
2 green chillies, sliced
1 tsp. ginger - garlic paste
4 cups of chopped vegetables 
1 cup yogurt
1/8 tsp. ground turmeric
1 tsp. mild variety chili powder
1 tsp. biryani masala / garam masala
Salt to taste
2 tbsp. each - almonds, cashews and raisins

Ingredients for layering: (Step 3)
1 large onion, thinly sliced (or 1/2 cup fried onions)
1/4 cup finely minced cilantro
1/4 cup finely minced, mint leaves
1/4 cup warm milk + 2 pinches of saffron strands
1 tbsp. ghee
2 tsp. rose water / kewra water

Prep work:
1. Rinse basmati rice in two or three changes of water and soak the rice in enough water for about 30 minutes. Drain the water after the soaking period.
2. Cut and prepare the vegetables that are going to be used for vegetable gravy.
3. Add yogurt to a small bowl, whisk until smooth and keep aside.
4. Add two pinches of saffron strands to 1/4 cup of warm milk and keep aside.


Step 1 - Directions for cooking rice: 
* Rinse basmati rice in two or three changes of water and soak the rice in enough water for about 30 minutes. Drain the water after the soaking period.

* Add 6 cups of water, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf, cardamom, and salt to a pot on high flame and bring it to a rolling boil.

 * Add the soaked and drained rice and gently mix once. Do not cover and continue to cook on high flame, until the rice is 80% cooked. (It took less than 7 minutes.) 

* The rice should be almost done, with a slight bite at the center of the grain when tasted.

* Immediately drain the rice in a colander. Rinse the rice with cold running water to avoid further cooking. Drain completely, fluff and keep aside.

Step 2 - Preparing vegetable gravy:
* Heat 3 tbsp. ghee in a pan and add half the onions and a pinch of salt. Fry them until golden brown, remove with a slotted spoon by gently pressing against the edges of the pan to remove the excess of oil. Drain on the absorbent towels and keep aside. (We will use it for layering, the 3rd step.)

* Add a little more ghee / oil if needed to the same pan and add shahjeera / carom seeds, bay leaf, cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon and saute for few seconds, until the shahjeera starts to brown.
* Now add the chopped onions and saute on low flame until golden brown. 

* Then add green chillies and the ginger - garlic paste and saute until the raw smell goes away. Add turmeric, chili powder, biryani masala and stir well.

* Next add the chopped vegetables and salt to taste. Saute for a minute or two. 

* Add yogurt and saute for a minute, on low flame since the yogurt may curdle. 

* Add about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water, cover the pan with a lid and cook until the vegetables are done. (Or the vegetables can be pressure cooked for 2 - 3 whistles. Remember that the sourness from the yogurt increases the cooking time.)  Add raisins, cashews and almonds and mix well.

* Check the taste and add any seasonings if needed. If the gravy appears watery, cook on high flame, continuously stirring until most of the water dries up. The final gravy should be on a thicker side.

Step 3 - Layering the biryani:
* Choose a heavy bottomed pot, preferable a non stick one. Spread evenly half of the vegetable gravy at the base of the pan.
 * Spread half of the rice over it, in an even layer. Sprinkle half of the fried onions (the onions we fried before making the vegetable gravy), cilantro, mint, and saffron milk, evenly over the rice. (Fried onions are not pictured.)

* Repeat the vegetable gravy and rice layers. Sprinkle the remaining fried onions, cilantro - mint and saffron milk. Pour a tbsp. of ghee all over.
* Finally sprinkle the rose water evenly.

Step 4 - The "dum" cooking part:
* While layering the biryani, heat a iron griddle / tawa on medium flame. 
* Seal the pot tightly with an aluminium foil and cover it with a lid. Or seal the pot with a moist, cotton towel or cloth and cover with a lid. Or cover the pot with a lid and seal it with a dough ring.
* Place the sealed pot on the hot tawa and cook on the lowest heat setting / lowest flame, for about 25 to 30 minutes.
* Let it sit for about 10 minutes, once the rice is cooked. Fluff and serve with a spicy gravy.

So far in my Biryani / Pulao / Khichdi series,
A for Ambur Biryani
B for Basanti Pulao / Misthi Pulao
C for Corn - Fenugreek Greens Pulao
D for Donne Biryani

E for Ek Toap na Dal Bhaat

F for Fada ni Khichdi
G for Gutti Vankaya Biryani

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#99.

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