Thalassery Biriyani

 

Thalassery biryani is a popular dish from Thalassery that is situated in the Malabar cost of Kannur district in the state of Kerala. 

The history says that this dish dates to the 18th century, during the reign of the British East India Company.  The biriyani along with other local dishes were introduced to the The British officers by the local Muslim Mappila Community, who have settled in Kerala coming from the Middle Eastern — Arab or Persian. The British officers were very impressed with the unique aroma of the dish. This dish not only become famous amongst the officers but also amongst the other local communities of Kerala. 

- Net source 

The biriyani is made using spice blend that consists of fennel seeds along with other spices that is not used in other biriyani masala. Cashew and Raisins are fried and used in the dish. Aromatic short grain Kaima/Jeerakasala rice that is locally grown is used for this dish. Chicken or Mutton is cooked separately with the spices, curd, onions, ginger - garlic paste and tomato. The rice is cooked separately with whole spices.The rice and meat are then layered and cooked together on dum / sealed pot. 

There are many versions of this dish… Inspired from Swasthi's Recipes blog, here is the recipe from my kitchen.. 

To make the Biriyani Masala - Ingredients 

2 tsp Fennel seeds 

1 tsp Pepper corn

1 tsp Shah Jeera / Caraway seeds

6 Cloves 

4 Green Cardamom 

1 medium piece of Cinnamon 

1 Star Anise 

2 Mace / Javitri 

1/2 tsp Nutmeg powder 

2 Dried Red chillies 

Method

Grind all the above ingredients into a powder. 

To make the Rice - Ingredients 

2 cups Kaima/Jeerakasala 

1/2 tsp Fennel seeds 

2 Cloves 

2 Green Cardamom 

1 small piece of Cinnamon 

2 Bay leaves  

2 Red dried Chillies broken into  pieces 

Salt to taste 

1 tbsp Ghee

Method 

Wash the rice and keep aside. Take a pot, add the ghee, add the spices mentioned above, sauté for few seconds. Add the washed drained rice and salt, stir for few seconds, add 4 cups of water, let the rice cook until the water has evaporated completely and the rice has cooked well. Leave the rice open and stir the rice occasionally so that the rice doesn’t form any lumps.. 

To make the Chicken - Ingredients 

1 kg Chicken cut into pieces 

2  + 1 large Onions sliced 

1 large Tomato sliced 

1 tbsp Ginger paste 

1 tbsp Garlic paste 

2 tbsp Green Chilli paste 

1/2 cup Curd beaten 

1/4 cup broken Cashews 

1/4 cup Raisins 

Salt to taste 

1 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/2 cup Ghee 

Method 

Take a pot, add ghee, let it melt, add 1 onion sliced and fry the onions until golden brown in colour for the birista, remove the onions and keep it aside, in the same ghee fry the cashews and raisins, once golden brown remove and keep them aside. Add 2 sliced onions, fry until light brown in colour, add the ginger- garlic and chilli paste, stir occasionally and sauté the masala for a minute. Add the curd, tomato sliced, turmeric powder, 2 tbsp spice powder and salt, stir and continue to cook for another minute. Add the chicken, stir, cover and continue to cook on medium low flame stirring occasionally until the chicken is cooked. 

To Assemble the Biriyani - Ingredients 

Chicken 

Rice

1 tsp Spice Masala 

Fried Cashews and Raisins 

Brista 

1/4 cup Coriander and Mint leaves chopped 

2 tbsp Ghee melted 

2 tbsp Rose water

6 Boiled Eggs (optional)

Banana Leaves (optional)

Method 

Take a heavy bottom pot, place the banana leaves (optional), add some rice, add the chicken gravy uniformly over the rice, add the boiled eggs, sprinkle some spice masala, some fried onions, some fried cashews - raisins, chopped coriander- mint leaves, drizzle some ghee and rose water, add another layer of remaining rice over the chicken gravy, repeat the process - add the remaining spice masala, fried onions, fried cashews - raisins, chopped coriander- mint leaves, drizzle the remaining  ghee and rose water. Cover the pot with a lid, seal the pot or cover the pot with a tight lid. Place the pot over a hot tawa and cook on low flame for 20 minutes. Let the pot be covered for another 20 minutes before serving the biriyani. Serve the biriyani hot with raita and Papadam . 

Soya Chunks Biriyani

Soya Chunks if made properly can easily  replace meat .. There are many recipes that we can make with Soya Chunks. Here I have made Biriyani using Soya Chunks.  It’s ideally made on a veg day in my house.. its served with raita. 

To Marinate the Soya Chunks 

Ingredients 

200 grams Soya Chunks boiled, washed and water drained out 

1 tsp Ginger paste 

1 tsp Garlic paste 

1/2 tsp Fresh Chilli paste 

1 tbsp sliced fried Onion 

1/2 cup Curd 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder 

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds powder 

1/2 tsp Coriander powder

1/2 tsp Garam Masala powder 

Method 

Take a bowl, add in all the above ingredients, mix all the ingredients together and keep it aside for 1 hour. 

To Make the Rice

Ingredients 

250 grams / 1 cup Basmati Rice washed and soaked for 30 minutes and water drained out

1/2 tsp Caraway seeds / Shahi Jeera

Few Pepper Corns

1 Star Anise

1 Green Cardamom 

2 Cloves

1 small piece Cinnamon 

2 Bay Leaves 

Salt to taste 

Method 

Take a pot, add 2 cups water, let the water boil, add the spices, bay leaves and the salt. Now add the rice. Let the rice cook until it’s 80 percent done. Once done switch off the flames. Add a cup of water and drain the water out from the rice. 

To make the Soya Chunks Biriyani 

Ingredients 

Marinated Soya Chunks 

6 to 8 small size Potatoes peeled

Few Coriander leaves chopped 

1 tbsp sliced fried Onion

Salt to salt 

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder 

Pinch of Saffron 

1/4 tsp Rose Water

1/4 tsp Kewra Water

1 drop of Biriyani flavoured Essence - optional 

1 cup Milk 

6 tbsp Ghee

Method 

Take a heavy cast iron pot, add 4 tbsp Ghee, let it heat, on a low flame, add the potatoes, little  salt and turmeric powder. Sauté and fry the potatoes. 

Meanwhile take a hot cup of milk, add saffron, rose water, Kewra water and Biriyani essence. Once the potatoes are fried, add the marinated soya chunks. Stir and cook for a minute. Add 1/3 cup of milk, now add the cooked rice and spread the rice well, pour the milk, remaining ghee, sprinkle the fried onion and coriander leaves. Cover and let it cook on low flame for 15 to 20 minutes. The liquid in the Biriyani should dry up. Switch off the flame, don’t open the pot, wait for 15 to 20 minutes and then serve with raita of your choice. 

Home Style Kacchi Biriyani

Home Style Kacchi Biriyani....
Walking down my memory lane, my few visits to Singapore last few years, has always taken me to one place -  Fakruddin situated in the by lanes of  Little India - Singapore. It’s a famous Bangladeshi Restaurant. There are lots of amazing dishes that one can try like a drink called borhani, jali Kabab, mutton bhuna khichudi, lau chigri, chicken roast.. etc and the best is the kacchi Biriyani... that no one should miss... but unfortunately with the given situation now, there is on question of travelling... we can only cherish our memories and enjoy the meal at home.
Kacchi Biriyani is a famous dish of Bangladesh, the meat is marinated and then directly cooked on Dum with the partially cooked rice for hours on charcoal.
Here is how we can make this Kacchi Biriyani at home..
I have marinated the mutton for nearly 12 hours. The mutton is infused with smoky flavour by burning a charcoal piece and placing it over the mutton and covering the lid. The lid is sealed with a dough, but since I was using the cast iron pot which is extremely heavy, I didn’t feel the need seal the pot. Once the biriyani is made, cover the pot and let it stand for an hour before serving. Serve the biriyani with a cucumber - tomato - onion salad. 

For Marinating the Mutton

Ingredients

500 grams Mutton pieces, washed and wiped well, so no water remains

3 tbsp Ginger - Garlic - Chilli paste 

3 tbsp Fried Onion crushed 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp Cinnamon powder 

1/ 2 tsp Cloves powder 

1/2 tsp Cardomom powder

1/4 tsp Nutmeg powder 

1/2 tsp Cumin powder 

1/2 tsp Coriander powder

3/4 tsp Chilli powder 

1/2 tsp Pepper powder 

3/4 cup Curd

1/4 cup Saffron Water mixed with pinch of Saffron colour 

Method 

Add all the above ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix all the ingredients together. Keep it aside atleast for 3 to 4 hours, I kept it for nearly 12 hours. 

To make the Rice

Ingredients

250 grams Basmati Rice washed and soaked for 30 minutes 

2 to 3 Bay Leaves 

1 small piece Cinnamon 

2 Cloves 

2 Cardomom 

1/2 tsp Shahi Jeera

Salt to taste 

Method 

Take a deep bottom pot. Add half liter of water let it simmer. Add salt, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, shahi jeera and bay leaves. Let it simmer for a minute. Add the rice and let it cook till it is 25 % done. Drain out the excess water. 

To make the Biriyani 

Ingredients 

Marinated Mutton pieces 

Rice

4 to 6 medium size Potatoes, peeled and fried 

2 tbsps Onion fried 

6 Apricots

1/2 to 3/4 cup Ghee 

1 cup Milk 

1/2 cup Hot water 

1/4 cup Saffron water 

Few drops of Kewda essence (Optional) 

1 Charcoal piece and 1 tsp Ghee 

Method 

Take a cast iron pot. Add the marinated mutton. Add 1/4 cup ghee to the marinated mutton and mix the ingredients together. Add the fried potatoes and apricot over the marinated mutton. Add the fried onions. Take a bowl. Add milk, hot water, the remaining ghee, saffron water and kewda essence. Keep it aside. Smoke the charcoal piece. Put it on a small plate. Place the plate over the marinated mutton and add a tsp of ghee. Quickly cover the pot for 2 minutes. Remove the cover. Remove the charcoal plate. Spread the rice over the mutton. Drizzle the milk over the rice. Cover the pot. Place the pot on a low flame. Cook it for 45 minutes. To check, insert   a knife, there shouldn’t be any liquid on the knife. Incase there is liquid, cook for some more minutes. Once done, let the pot remain covered for an hour before serving. Serve it hot with salad.

P. S. If you don't have cast iron pot then use normal pots. The cooking is done evenly and the bottom does not burn in the cast iron pot.

Home Style Kacchi Chicken Biriyani....

This Biriyani is very simple to make with all the ingredients easily available at home. It is cooked in a cast iron pot with marinated chicken and half cooked rice. The chicken is infused with smoky flavour by burning a charcoal piece and placing it over the chicken and covering the lid. Once the biriyani is made, cover the pot and let it stand for an hour before serving. Serve it with raita. 

For Marinating the Chicken

Ingredients

500 grams Chicken pieces 

1 medium size Onion paste 

3 tbsp Ginger - Garlic - Chilli - Coriander leaves and Mint Leaves paste

3 tbsp Fried Onion crushed 

Salt to taste 

1/4 tsp Cinnamon powder 

1/ 4 tsp Cloves powder 

1/4 tsp Cardomom powder

1/8 tsp Nutmeg powder 

1/2 tsp Cumin powder 

1/2 tsp Coriander powder

3/4 tsp Chilli powder 

1/4 tsp Pepper powder 

3/4 cup Curd

1/4 cup Saffron Water mixed with pinch of Saffron colour 

Method 

Add all the above ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix all the ingredients together. Keep it aside atleast for 2 hours or more. 

To make the Rice

Ingredients

250 grams Basmati Rice washed and soaked for 30 minutes 

2 Bay Leaves 

1 small piece Cinnamon 

2 Cloves 

2 Cardomom 

Salt to taste 

Method 

Take a deep bottom pot. Add half liter of water let it simmer. Add salt, cloves, cinnamon , cardamom and bay leaves. Let it simmer for a minute. Add the rice and let it cook till it is 50 % done. Drain out the excess water. 

To make the Biriyani 

Ingredients 

Marinated Chicken pieces 

Rice

2 Big size Potatoes cut into big chunks and fried 

2 tbsp Onion fried 

1 tbsp Almond flakes 

1 tbsp Raisins 

6 Apricots

3/4 cup Ghee 

3/4 cup Milk 

1/2 cup Hot water 

1/4 cup Saffron water 

Few drops of Kewda essence (Optional) 

1 Charcoal piece

Method 

Take a cast iron pot. Add the marinated chicken. Lay the fried potatoes and apricot over the marinated chicken. Sprinkle almond flakes and raisins. Take a bowl. Add milk, hot water, half of the ghee, remaining saffron water and kewda essence. Keep it aside. Smoke the charcoal piece. Put it on a small plate. Place the plate over the chicken and add a tsp of ghee. Quickly cover the pot for 2 minutes. Remove the cover. Remove the charcoal plate. Drizzle the remaining ghee over the chicken. Spread the rice over the chicken. Pour the milk over the rice. Garnish with fried onions. Cover the pot. Place the pot on a low flame. Cook it for 45 minutes to an hour. Check if the chicken is cooked. Let it stand for an hour before serving. Serve it hot with raita. 

P. S. If you don't have cast iron pot then use normal pots. The cooking is done evenly and the bottom does not burn in the cast iron pot. 

Awadhi Mutton Biryani

Awadhi Mutton Biryani
Ingredients
For garam masala:
1 cinnamon stick
8  cloves
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 tsp pepper corns
1 star anise
2 mace
2 brown cardamom
2 green cardamom

Method
For garam masala:
Dry roast all the ingredients. Grind them in a masala grinder.

For marinating the mutton
Ingredients
1kg mutton
1/2 cup curd
2-3 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp chilli powder
1 tbsp Cashew nut paste
Garam masala powder made at home
Salt to taste

Method
For mutton marination:
Take the mutton and add ginger-garlic paste, turmeric and chilli powder. Then add cashew nut paste, garam masala powder , curd and mix  it. Cover it and keep it aside for 1 hour.

For cooking the rice
Ingredients
1 kg basmati rice
salt to taste
Method
Wash and soak the rice in water for 1/2 an hour. Add the salt and cook the rice till done. It rice should be cooked 75 %  and the rest will cook in dum.

For cooking the biryani
Ingredients
Marinated mutton
Cooked rice
1 cups milk
4 tbsp ghee
2 onions sliced and browned
Saffron
1/2 tsp  Kewar and rose essence
Mint and Coriander leaves  chopped for garnishing

Method
Add 3 tbsp ghee in the handi. Transfer the marinated meat from the bowl to the handi.Now stir and cook the meat for a few minutes.
Cover with the lid and simmer the meat  till done.
Now take another handi and  layer the mutton with cooked rice and then again with mutton and cooked rice. Now take milk, saffron, 1 tbsp ghee and the essence. And warm it up a bit. Spread  the milk on top of the last
layered rice. Garnish it with mint, coriander and brown onions.
Cover the handi with the lid and weight it down with something heavy. Keep the flame low.
Cook for about half an hour. Serve it hot with salad.

Pakistani Mutton Biriyani

Pakistani Mutton Biriyani

Ingredients 

1 kg Mutton

1 kg Basmati Rice 

2 big onions sliced

1 tomato chopped 

1 1/2 tbsp garlic, ginger and chilli paste 

1 tbsp Briyani masala powder ( 1/4 tsp ( Saha jeera ) cumin seeds, 1/4 tsp coriander powder, 2 green cardomom, 1 small stick Cinnamon, 4 cloves, 8 to 10 pepper, 1/2 nutmeg, 2 whole red chillies, 2 star anise, 2 bay leaves) to grind

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

6 dry plums

1/2 cup curd

1/2 cup milk

2 pinch saffron

Pinch of kesar colour

Salt to taste

3 tbsp ghee

Chopped mint and coriander leaves for garnishing 

1/4 cup of mix dry fruits ( Kaju, raisins and almond flakes)

1/2 tsp Kewra essence 

2 boiled eggs

1/4 cup pomegranate 

For the salad cut 1 tomato, 1 onion, 1 cucumber into to slice. Slit 2 green chillies, slice 1 lime.

Method

Marinate the mutton with curd, ginger, garlic, chilli paste, biriyani masala powder, salt, turmeric powder for a hour. Take the rice an soak for 30 minutes. Take a pan add 1 1/2 tbsp ghee and fry the onions till golden brown.  Take  1/2  of the onions and keep it aside. Let the rest of the onions be in the pan. Add the marinated Mutton and tomato. Let it cook in its own juice. Cook the soaked rice. Add salt to taste and 1/2 tsp ghee in the rice and mix it. Once the mutton is cooked and the gravy has reduce, take mutton of the gas. Take 1/2 cup milk. Warm the milk and add saffron and Kewra essence. Divided the rice into two parts. Add 1/2 milk to one part of the rice and mix it.  Now add colour to the remaining milk. Add the the milk to the other remaining rice and mix it. Cut the eggs in to two and keep it aside. Take a platter. Add the White rice on the plate. Create a   space in between the rice. Add the mutton in the centre. Now spread the coloured rice on the top. Sprinkle the brown onions on top. Heat 1/2 tsp ghee and fry the dry fruits and spread it on the rice. Sprinkle coriander and mint leaves. Now mix the salad and sprinkle salt on it. Garnish the biriyani with the salad, lime , green chillies, pomegranate seeds and eggs.