Malabar Biryani | Kerala Thalassery Biryani (Veg)
This Malabar Biryani is a mild and delicately spiced vegetable biryani made with a bevy of fresh veggies, spices, herbs, onions, cashews, raisins and coconut milk. Best served with side of raita and some papadam.
- Prep time
- 30 min
- Cook time
- 30 min
- Yield
- 4 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
- 2 cup rice (- soaked in 3 cups water, kaima rice or basmati rice)
- 6 cup water (- for cooking rice)
- 1/4 or 1/3 cup cashews (- chopped)
- 15 to 20 curry leaves
- 1/4 cup raisins
- 1 cup onions (- thinly sliced)
- 5 to 6 tablespoons oil
- 12 to 15 saffron strands
- salt (as required)
- 2 cup chopped vegetables (- I used small eggplants (brinjal), potato, carrots)
- 1/2 cup green peas (- fresh or frozen)
- 1.5 cup onions (- thinly sliced)
- 2 inches cinnamon stick
- 7 to 8 cloves
- 4 to 5 green cardamoms
- 2 cup Coconut Milk (- thick or canned thick coconut milk)
- 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- 2 green chilies (- chopped)
- 1/2 cup water (or as needed)
- 1 tsp coriander powder ((ground coriander))
- 1 tsp fennel powder ((ground fennel) )
- 1/2 tsp black pepper powder
- 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder (or cayenne pepper)
- 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder ((ground turmeric))
- 1/2 or 1 tablespoon lemon juice (or 1/4 cup curd (yogurt))
- 1 tbsp mint leaves (- chopped)
- 1 tbsp coriander leaves ((cilantro), chopped)
- salt (as required)
Instructions
- 1
First, rinse the rice a few times in water. Soak the rice for 20 to 30 minutes.
- 2
Later cook the rice in water until the rice grains are ¾ᵗʰ cooked. Drain the remaining starchy water and set the rice grains aside.
- 3
Heat oil and add the sliced onions.
- 4
Fry till the onions become light golden.
- 5
Add the cashewnuts, raisins and curry leaves.
- 6
Fry till the mixture turns golden on low heat. Don't burn.
- 7
Remove with a slotted spoon and add the fried onions, cashews, raisins and curry leaves to the cooked rice. Do not mix. Simply make a layer of the fried onions mixture on top of the rice.
- 8
In another pan, add 2 to 3 tablespoons of this oil in which the onions were fried. You can add more oil if required. Heat the oil on a low flame.You can also opt to use fresh oil or use ghee instead.
- 9
Add the whole spices - cinnamon, cloves and green cardamoms.
- 10
On a low heat fry till the oil becomes fragrant and the spices splutter.
- 11
Now, add the 1.5 cups sliced onions and sauté on medium-low heat until light golden, stirring often.
- 12
Add the ginger-garlic paste and green chilies. Sauté for a minute on low heat.
- 13
Add the dry ground spice powders and sauté for a few seconds.
- 14
Add the mixed chopped vegetables. Sauté for a minute.
- 15
Add the coconut milk. Stir and then add water along with lemon juice.
- 16
If using yogurt instead of lemon juice, then add at this step. Stir well.
- 17
Add ½ cup of water. Cover the pan and let the vegetables cook on low to medium-low heat. The gravy will reduce a bit.
- 18
Once the vegetables are tender and cooked, we can start layering the biryani.
- 19
Grease an oven proof bowl or pan with oil.
- 20
Layer the vegetable gravy first. Then layer the rice.
- 21
Spread the chopped mint and coriander leaves on top.
- 22
Sprinkle the saffron water. Dot with some oil.
- 23
Spread another layer of the vegetable gravy.
- 24
Now spread the fourth layer of rice.
- 25
Sprinkle the chopped mint, coriander leaves and saffron water.
- 26
Dot with some oil again. Cover and seal tightly with an aluminium foil.
- 27
Bake Kerala Biryani in a preheated oven at 200 degrees Celsius for 25 to 30 minutes.
- 28
You can also cook the layered biryani in a tightly covered pan on stove top for 25 to 30 minutes on low heat.
- 29
Serve Malabar Biryani hot or warm with raita or kachumber.