INGREDIENTS
- 150 gm basmati rice
- Soaked in cold water for 5–7 minutes
- 150 gm cauliflower cut into florets
- 150 gm broccoli in florets
- 100 gm green beans (cut) 15 gm butter
- 1 tbsp sunflower oil, 2.5 cm cinnamon or cassia bark
- 4 green cardamom pods
- 2 cloves
- 1 bay leaf, 1 blade mace
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 onions (thinly sliced) 3-1/2 tsp finely chopped ginger
- 100 gm plain white flour
- 50 gm frozen sweet corn kernels
- 50 gm frozen peas
- 20 small chestnut mushrooms (halved) 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1/2 tsp chilli powder
- 1/2 tsp garam masala,
- 2 tomatoes (chopped) 75 ml single cream
- A few saffron threads
- 1 tbsp chopped mint
- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/4 tsp ground mace
- sea salt
- Chopped coriander and mint leaves, to garnish, edible dried rose petals, to garnish 400 ml.
FOR MINT RAITA: 200 gm greek-style yogurt, 1 tbsp chopped mint, a few to garnish, 1tsp cumin seeds, toasted and ground. Mix yogurt, mint, cumin and salt to taste, then cover and chill to serve.
FOR RED ONIONS: 2 red onions, sliced, 3 tbsp Benares vinaigrette, 1/4 tsp chaat masala, 1/4 tsp chilli powder, fine sea salt, coriander cress, to garnish, 2 limes, halved, to serve
METHOD
Bring two pans of salted water to boil. Drain rice, add to pan and boil for 3–4 minutes (al dente). Drain and set aside. Add cauliflower to the other pan and blanch for 2–3 minutes. Remove and cool in cold water. Repeat with broccoli, green beans.
Keep vegetables cool, drain and set aside. Melt butter with oil, add cinnamon, cardamom pods, cloves, bay leaf, mace and cumin seeds, and sauté over medium heat until spices crackle. Add onions and 2 tsp fresh ginger, sautée for 5–8 minutes.
Preheat oven to 200°C. Mix flour with enough water to dough. Roll dough into a long rope shape, set aside. When onions have coloured, add all blanched vegetables, plus the sweet corn kernels, peas and mushrooms, and sauté for 2–3 minutes.
Stir in ground coriander, turmeric, chilli powder and garam masala for a minute. Add tomatoes and continue stirring for 2–3 minutes. Stir in cream and saffron, fold in rice. Sprinkle with the mint, remaining ginger, cardamom and mace. Put the lid on a casserole and use the dough to seal.
Place the casserole in the oven and bake for 8–10 minutes until the pastry turns golden brown. Break the pastry seal, uncover, place a clean tea towel on top of the biryani before re-covering. Leave to stand for five minutes before serving.
Toss red onions with vinaigrette, chaat masala, red chilli powder and salt to taste. Sprinkle coriander and mint leaves and rose petals over biryani and serve straight from the casserole.
— Recipe courtesy Chef Atul Kochhar, NRI – Not Really Indian and Benares
