2medium onionsor 100 grams onions or 1 cup thinly sliced onions
1teaspoonfinely chopped ginger
1sprig curry leaves
1 to 2green chilies,slit or sliced
¼teaspoonturmeric powder
1medium tomatoor 75 grams tomatoes or ½ cup chopped tomatoes
1medium to large carrotor 100 grams carrots or ½ cup chopped carrots
2medium potatoesor 150 grams potatoes or ¾ to 1 cup chopped potatoes
⅓cupgreen peas,fresh or frozen
1cupheaped basmati rice,or 200 grams basmati rice
2cupswaterfor cooking rice
salt as required
to be ground to paste
¼cuptightly packed fresh grated coconut
1teaspoonchopped ginger
1teaspoonchopped garlic
3 to 4dry red chilies
½teaspooncumin seeds
1teaspoonfennel seeds
1teaspoonpoppy seeds(khus khus)
1teaspooncoriander seeds
8 to 10fenugreek seeds(methi seeds)
2cloves
2green cardamoms
½inchcinnamon
¼ to ⅓cupwaterfor grinding
Instructions
preparation
Rinse basmati rice very well in water and then soak for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, strain the rice of all the water and keep aside.
Meanwhile, while the rice is soaking, rinse and chop all the veggies. Keep them aside.
preparing the ground paste
Also take all the ingredients for the masala paste - ¼ cup tightly packed fresh grated coconut, 1 tsp chopped ginger, 1 tsp chopped garlic, 3 to 4 dry red chilies, ½ tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp fennel seeds, 1 tsp poppy seeds, 1 tsp coriander seeds, 8 to 10 methi seeds, 2 cloves, 2 green cardamoms and ½ inch cinnamon.
Add these ingredients along with ¼ to ⅓ cup water in a grinder jar.
Grind to a smooth paste.
making mangalorean biryani
Heat 2 tbsp coconut oil in a thick bottomed pot or pan. Add 1 cup thinly sliced onions.
Saute the onions on a low to medium flame, stirring often till they turn golden.
Now add ½ cup chopped tomatoes, 1 tsp finely chopped ginger and 1 sprig curry leaves.
Stir and saute for a minute.
Then add 1 or 2 green chilies (slit or sliced) and add ¼ tsp turmeric powder.
Mix well and saute on a low to medium flame till the tomatoes soften and become pulpy. You will also see oil releasing from the sides of the onion-tomato masala.
Now add the ground spice paste. Stir well and saute for 3 minutes on a low flame.
Add 1.75 to 2 cups chopped veggies. You can add your choice of veggies. I added a mix of carrots, green peas and potatoes.
Stir well and mix the veggies with the rest of the masala.
Now add the rice. Gently stir the rice with the veggies and masala.
Add 2 cups water. Season with salt as per taste. Stir.
Seal the pan with an aluminum foil or a moist kitchen towel or a moist cotton napkin. Close tightly with a lid.
On a low flame cook till the rice grains are cooked and all the water is absorbed. It took me 18 minutes for the rice to cook.
Time will vary depending on the size and volume of pan, the thickness of pan, flame intensity etc.
If the rice grains are still undercooked and all the water has been absorbed then add a few tablespoons of water.
Cover and cook for some more minutes.
Allow a standing time of 5 minutes and then open the lid.
Gently fluff and serve mangalore style biryani with raita or pickle or papad. You can garnish with some chopped coriander leaves if you want.
Notes
This biryani can be made in the pressure cooker. Just add 1.5 to 1.75 cups water and pressure cook for 2 whistles on medium flame.