I should think most of us love the concept of a one dish meal, especially if one is one the kitchen side of things. I know there many kinds of one dish meals across the world, but to me a one-dish meal usually has rice in it. This is probably because I’m from the south of India where rice invariably manages to pop in one form or the other at every meal!
A “Biryani” is one such Indian one-dish meal. I’m sure someone will point out that a biryani is usually served with accompaniments and so not really a one-dish meal. I would like to argue that these accompaniments are generally yogurt (or curds as we refer to it in India), pickles and pappads which are not really dishes which have to be cooked up along with the main dish.
And if you subscribe to the view that one-dish meals should be easy to make, then the biryani is not for you. A biryani is not something you can hurry along but something one cooks when there is enough time on hand to cook as well as savour its nuances.
Last month, Random House India was kind enough to send me a copy of Pratibha Karan’s latest book, very aptly named “Biryani”. The biryani is really a non-vegetarian food preparation, even though there are quite a few vegetarian variations if one looks for them. I’m a bit of biryani novice and the biryanis I can make wouldn’t take up all the fingers on my right hand!
So I was quite interested in going through this particular book.
A former IAS officer in the Indian Government, Pratibha Karan is passionate about food. Interestingly, she happens to be a vegetarian though she cooks and experiments with non-vegetarin cuisines.
In her introduction to the book, Ms. Karan discusses the possible origins of the biryani. She suggests it started out as meal cooked up by cooks for battle weary soldiers of yester years, easily cooked yet nutritious. She also explains how the biryani is cooked by layering it in a pot whereas in a pulao (another well-known Indian rice preparation), all the ingredients are cooked together.
Qabooli Biryani (recipe follows)
The book “Biryani” has 100 different biryani recipes from all across India, some very famous ones as well many lesser known but no less delicious. Pratibha Karan also provides suggestions and advice on which rice to use and also how to cook it for the perfect biryani. The author also includes a chapter on relishes and raitas that could be served with the biryanis.
The book is broadly divided into four chapters dealing with the four main geographic regions of India (the North, South, East and West), with each chapter featuring biryanis typical of that region. While most of the biryanis in the book are understandably non-vegetarian, there are a reasonable number of vegetarian recipes.
The author has also thoughtfully provided two separate listings of the biryanis in her book under “Order of appearance in the book” and “Biryanis by ingredients”.
While this makes it easier to access the particular biryani one would want, I think it would have been better of these “lists” had been put at the beginning of the book rather than tucking it at the back.
The recipes are well presented and very easy to follow. However, there doesn’t seem to be a uniform system for measuring ingredients in the book.
Most of the recipes have the main ingredients presented by weight yet when it comes to some ingredients like oil, one recipe requires “2/3 cup” and another “1/2 cup” while a third one asks for “60 gm” and a fourth recipe for “150 gm”!
Most people associate the biryani with Mughal cuisines of Hyderabad and Awadh. The biryani is more than that and is essentially a Muslim food preparation and so it is natural to find excellent biryanis in any part of India which is home to the Muslim community.
As the author herself points out, in the effort of equitably representing all regions of the country, she has left out some of the more well-known and unusual biryanis.
Perhaps this book should not have focused on being regionally representative but on the actual food it is about. Including those “left out” biryanis in this book could have made it a more complete biryani collection.
In spite of this, I found the book featuring quite a good variety of biryanis and presenting them in a very user friendly manner for the home cook. If you love biryanis and would prefer to savour them in the comfort of your home, then this book is for you.
Aloo Aur Tamatar Ka Pulao.
I tried out the “Qabooli Biryani” and the “Aloo Aur Tamatar Ka Pulao” (Potato-Tomato Pulao) and both were very good. I present the Qabooli Biryani here and I quote Pratibha Karan as saying this is…
“A delicious vegetarian biryani, this recipe has come down from the Mughals and is made with split gram lentils. In Hyderabad, it is a celebration dish.”
Qabooli Biryani.
Biryani : A Review And Qabooli - A Vegetarian Biryani (GF)
Ingredients
Grind these spices to a powder:
- 1/2 cinnamon u201d piece
- 2 - 3 cardamoms
- 1/2 tsp caraway seeds
- 1/2 tsp peppercorns
Other ingredients:
- 500 gm rice long grain
- 250 gm lentils yellow split grams
- pinch turmeric
- 3 onions , finely sliced
- 1 tsp ginger paste
- 1 tsp garlic paste
- 1/3 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- 1 cup yogurt , whisked
- 1/2 cup coriander fresh green , chopped
- 1/4 cup mint leaves chopped
- 4 green chillies , chopped
- 2 - 3 limes juice of
- 1/3 cup milk
- 2 tbsps ghee
- salt
Instructions
- Prepare the rice: Wash and soak the rice in water for 20 minutes, then drain. Boil about 2 1/2 litres of water with a salt. When the water starts to boil, add rice, and cook for about 6 minutes till two thirds done. Drain the water, and transfer the rice to a flat dish and set aside.
- Prepare the lentils: Wash and soak the yellow split lentils for 20 minutes. Boil in just enough water (2-3 cups) with a little salt and turmeric for about 15 minutes till 90% done. Drain any excess water and set aside.
- Cook the lentils: Heat the oil. Fry the onions till golden brown. Remove half and set aside. Add the ginger and garlic and fry till golden. Add the turmeric and red chilli powder followed by the yogurt. Stir briskly till the contents come to a boil and the oil starts to surface. Add the lentils, fry for about 2 minutes, and set aside.
- Assemble and serve: Take a heavy-bottomed pan and smear with oil. Place half the parboiled rice. Spread the lentils over the rice. Sprinkle half of the ground spices. Also spread half of the coriander, mint and green chillies, and the lime juice.
- Cover with the balance rice. Sprinkle milk, ghee, the remaining powdered spices, fried onions and remaining coriander, mint and green chillies. Cover with a fitting lid and cook for the first 1-2 minutes on a high flame and then on slow flame for about 10 minutes till the rice starts to steam.
- Serve steaming hot.
diva says
I learn something new everyday! My flatmate made chicken biryani for me a couple of weeks back and it was interestin to see how she made it. She also said it’s quite the occasion dish (like sushi) and served at weddings, etc. I was intrigued because I used to have it in high school all on a plate about once a week!Didn’t know there were many variations either. Might have to look up this book 🙂 I’m hungry now. Yum.
Rachana Kothari says
I love rice… and biryani is absolute a favourite in my household! I must get hold of this book… and the qabooli biryani looks great…
Manggy says
I’ve never had a biryani before but it seems like the kind of dish I’d love – as evidenced by your appetizing photos. I hope I see this book on the shelves here.
MeetaK says
this looks delicious. i love pulaos and biryanis and the only occasion i need to make it is a meal time LOL!
Happy Cook says
Till now I have only made chicken biriyani, never veg bitiyani, unless if it is a pulao.Well one person who is not that wild aobut biriyani is my husband, he thinks why make a fus about the whol thing when you can just serve the cutty and rice sids by side on a plate than mixing up them in a whole pot, i know it is weird, the way he thinks aobut thsi whole biriyani…… on the other hand S and I just love it. But then as i told you the Chicken one :-)This looks really good, should try it once.
Jayashree says
The book sounds interesting….a 100 varieties of biriyani does sound like a lot.
Bong Mom says
I make a Veg Biryani but not this kind, liked the alu-tamatar pulao also, will try soon
Madhuri says
Whenever I tired biryani the rice will be over cooked or half cooked never got a hang of it. Your looks perfect.
Curry Leaf says
New recipes and new book Aparna.Love the way you are reviewing books.Love the aloo tamatar version.Have seen the qabooli in some sites thgh yet to try it.
Chitra says
I love how you posted a veg biryani and with lentils. that is perfect.
Nandita says
You are so right about that one-pot-dish thing – esp in homes where there are no cooks, this is a good way to get all vital nutrients in one dish – my fav is a dal-rice / broken wheat – veggie combo in the form of a khichdi cooked directly in the cooker. This seems like a good book – and though I prefer vegetables in my pulao / biryani, when one is short of the variety of veg reqd for a veg biryani, this recipe may be the saviour 🙂
FoodyGuru (Srimathi) says
I just made biryani for dinner last night. Its my favorite rice variety. Will look into Ms. Karan’s recipe and try out the Qabooli.
sayantani says
in my house we make biriyanis on occasions and I like to prepare it in big quantity and share with friends. never made qaboli. looks very tempting.
Cynthia says
An insightful review. Thank you.
myspicykitchen says
We love biryani and make it very often, sometimes once a week or at least once in a fortnight… Both of us are from hyderabad and after coming to US we missed it a lot and have not tasted best biryani yet, in the US.. Not even in NYC, which has some of the best restaurants in the country but yet to discover the best biryani place!!! Qabooli biryani looks yummy!
Vaishali Sharma says
Aparna! This looks delicious! I love Veg Biryani!
Vanamala Hebbar says
Looks nice …new to me
BangaloreBaker says
Aparna, You have a very nice blog. I landed here first time from probably from yeastspotting page. I liked this version of veg biriyani. BTW, I am hosting my first event which is on baking. Check it out if you are interested.http://versatilekitchen.blogsp…
jayasree says
A neat review of the book. 100 varieties is indeed too many to try. Biryani with lentils is new to me.
Parita says
I love one pot meals, makes life much easier, kabuli biryani sounds good, though I am not fond of rice much but i enjoy it occasionally especially pulao and biryanis.
jayasri says
Hi aparna, Love that photo of yours!!, great click, just made Biryani yesterday, a different version!!. I will give this one a try, Love all rice pulaos, biryanis, fried rice, etc.,
Natashya KitchenPuppies says
I had no idea there were so many variations of biryani. I made my first one a little while ago.. but from ATK. Looks like an interesting book, thanks for the review!
Herrad says
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Tasty Eats At Home says
I love a good biryani, and I love that there are so many varieties. I’ve only tried to make a version once, and it failed…bland and boring! I love the blend of spices and flavors here – definitely need to try again!
Supriya Nair says
Lovely treat!
Rambling Tart says
I’ve never made this before but I love all the ingredients!! So many savory and spicy and wonderful flavors. 🙂
Ivy says
This vegetable biryani sounds delicious.
Ben says
Interesting dish. I think rice should be part of every one dish meal, this kind reminds me of Spanish paella. I need to make something like this soon.
sra says
I have the author’s book on Hyd cooking, v well produced and v interesting recipes. This dish looks pretty!
Kajal - Aapplemint says
I’ve never had kabuli biryani before. The recipe looks great . A must try for me .
Cham says
Quabouli and aloo tamatar biryani is simply divine! never tasted both 🙂
Dawn says
I love biryani but I have not tried making it for myself yet. This looks wonderful!
Miri says
What a coincidence,I posted about Biryani and this author too a week back! Havent had the opportunity to get my hands on her book though – thanks for the recipe