Biryani Rice
1 Hour, 30 Minutes
Indian
Serves: 2-4
A fragrant, golden masterpiece, this biryani rice with Basmati and saffron is infused with the rich, aromatic essence of saffron, creating a perfect balance of warmth and depth. With layers of savory spices and a hint of floral sweetness, every bite transports you to a world of indulgence and culinary delight.
Ingredients
Soaking Rice & Saffron:
3 cups Basmati Rice
2 liters water
Pinch of saffron
1/4 cup milk
Biryani Stock:
1/4 cup oil
2 bay leaves
2 cinnamon sticks, 2 inches each
7-8 cloves
8-10 peppercorns
10-12 cardamom
2 javitri (mace), whole
2 tsp shahi jeera
1 1/2 cups onion, sliced
2 green chilis, slit
1 1/2 tbsp garlic, roughly chopped
1 1/2 tbsp ginger, roughly chopped
1 orange (kinnu)
1 small bunch mint leaves
6 cups water
Salt, to taste
1 tbsp rose water
2 drops meetha ittar
2 tbsp ghee
Preparation
- Wash and soak the rice in 2lts of water for 30mins. Warm up the milk and add saffron to it and keep aside for 30mins.
- Heat a pan and drizzle oil. Once the oil is hot, add the bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves, peppercorn, cardamom, javitri, shahi jeera and stir them for a few seconds. Make sure to add all these spices in hot oil. Add sliced onions, green chilies, ginger and garlic. Cook them until the onions just start to brown. Cut an orange into half and squeeze its juice straight into the pan. Don’t worry if the seeds also fall in, we will be straining them later anyway.
- If you’re using an orange that has a sweet rind, then tear the rind and add it to the pan. Kinnu or Valencia orange rind is less bitter and works perfectly for this recipe. Alternatively, if you do not have an orange, then squeeze 1 small lemon instead of the orange.
- Pick a clean bundle of mint and break it into 2 and add it to the pan. Add mint leaves with its stem. Stir and cook for 5mins. Now add water and bring it to a quick boil, then simmer and cook for 5 mins.
- Turn off the heat and strain the liquid, this liquid is like liquid gold as it has all the flavors that will mimic the flavors of biryani. Pour this liquid into a fresh deep pan and bring it to boil, season with salt, pour rose water and 2 drops of meetha ittar.
- Drain the water from the rice and add them into the boiling liquid, give a stir and cook the rice on high heat until the level of water and rice is approximately the same. At this stage, lower the heat and pour over dissolved saffron and ghee. Cover and cook for 10mins, or until all of liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Once all the water is absorbed, turn off the heat and let the rice sit for 10mins without opening the lid.
- Open the lid and carefully fluff up the rice. Scoop it and serve it on to a platter hot with raita.
