Handi Biryani Recipe

As requested by many of our (Oglacs') regular visitors, starting today, I will be posting recipes of Indian dishes so that people who don't have an iPhone can visit our blogging site and also learn to prepare tasty and spicy Indian dishes. Today I will post about preparing Handi Biryani. It is a vegetable biryani prepared in Handi (a narrow-mouthed cooking vessel used in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan)

Handi Biryani Recipe

Servings – 4

Preparation Time – 40-45 minutes

Cooking Time – 30-35 minutes

Here are the necessary ingredients for preparing Handi Biryani. It may differ from the recipe provided in the iPad and iPhone application developed by Oglacs, the Indian Cuisines.

Rice – 1and 1/2 Cups

Onions – 4 (medium)

Ginger – A small piece

Garlic – 7-8 Cloves

Green Chillies – 4-5 pieces

Tomatoes – 2 (medium)

Carrot – 1 (medium)

Cauliflower – 1/4

French Beans – 10-15

Green Peas – 1/2 cup

Fresh Coriander Leaves – Few Sprigs

Fresh Mint Leaves – Few Sprigs

Saffron – Few strands

Kewra Water – Few drops

Green Cardamom – 2-3

Black Cardamom – 1

Cloves – 2-3

Cinnamon – 1 inch

Bay leaf – 1

Oil – 2 tablespoon and for frying

Caraway Seed – 1/2 teaspoon

Cumin Seeds – 1/2 teaspoon

Coriander Powder – 1 tablespoon

Turmeric Powder – 1 teaspoon

Red Chilli Powder – 1 teaspoon

Yoghurt – Half Cup

Salt – to taste

Garam Masala Powder – 1/2 teaspoon

Butter – 3 tablespoon

And here is the method on how to prepare Handi Biryani. The method may however be different from that which is given in the iPhone application.

First of all wash the rice and soak it in water for about twenty minutes and then drain the water. Finely chop one onion and slice the remaining. Peel garlic and ginger then wash them. Now you take the stems of the green chillies, wash them and grind them with ginger and garlic to create a fine paste. Take the tomatoes and chop them finely. The carrot, peel it, clean it and slice it into half inch pieces and do the same with the French beans apart from peeling, for the beans you will have to simply wash it. Separate cauliflower into smaller florets. Wash the green peas. Chop the already washed coriander leaves and mint leaves (separately). Take the saffron and soak them in kewra water.

Now, boil the drained rice in four cups salted boiling water with black cardamom, green cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaf. Boil the mixture until 3/4 is done. If there is any excess water drain it. Keep the 3/4 done rice aside meanwhile you mix all the vegetables and boil them in the similar way. Thereafter, take the frying pan (kadai) and heat sufficient oil and deep-fry the sliced onions till the onion turns golden brown.

Now take a thick-bottomed pan and heat two tablespoon of oil. Add caraway and cumin seeds. Add the chopped onions and saute the mixture until the color turns golden brown. Add the paste which you made earlier coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, yoghurt and mix well. Now add the chopped tomatoes and cook the preparation over a medium heat or till the fat leaves the masala.

Add the previously boiled vegetables and mix well by adding salt. Meanwhile you preheat the oven to 275°C. Now take a handi, arrange the preparation keeping the cooked vegetables and rice in alternate layers. Sprinkle the soaked saffron in kewra water, garam masala powder, mint leaves, coriander leaves, deep-fried sliced onions and butter in between the layers and also on top. Ensure that you finish by topping the rice layer with saffron and spices.

Now, cover and seal it with aluminum foil or dough. Put it in the preheated oven for ten minutes 275°C and then reduce the temperature to 225°C for another ten minutes. Or otherwise, you can keep the handi on a tawa and cook for fifteen minutes on low heat.

Now the Handi Biryani is ready to serve. Serve it hot with your favorite raita. 

Whew!! It's a real long process. But you know, there's no gains without pains. Indian Cuisines (not the application) are known for complexities and also for its taste. So, why don't you try making Handi Biryani right away?