Kaikari Biryani Recipe – Chettinad Vegetable Biryani

Description:

Biryani happens to be one of my favourite dishes and can have it at any time of the day! I love to try new biryani recipes whenever I visit Indian restaurants and recently happened to taste a Chettinad speciality at Anjappar and was quite impressed!  I wanted to try something similar at home and was looking for one, that’s when this  Chettinad Vegetable Biryani recipe by Mythreyi Dilip got my attention.  She was using traditional spices, her approach looked quite authentic and inspired me to try this style.  I’ve made few modifications to the style and tweaked a little to suit my taste.

Chettinad Vegetable Biryani / Kaikari Biryani / Briyani / Chettinad Recipes / Rice Dishes / Traditional / Authentic / Karaikudi Recipes / How to make Vegetable Biryani – stepwise pictures / வெஜிடபிள் பிரியாணி /வெஜிடபிள் பிரியாணி செய்வது எப்படி? / செட்டிநாடு காய்கறி பிரியாணி 

 

 

Traditionally Seeraga Samba/ Jeeraga Samba / Sirumani /Aromatic short grain  rice is used to make this biryani. Unfortunately i couldn’t find any at Indian stores close by and was left choose between regular short grain like Pachai arisi/Sona masoori and Basmati. I gave it try with both and liked the later better.

 

Ingredients- 1  Special garam masala blend
Cinnamon	2 inch stick
Cloves	4 count
Cardamom	3 count
Star anise	4 petals
Mace flower	2 small petals
Nutmeg	1/8 teaspoon grated
Cumin seeds	1 + 1/2 teaspoon
Fennel Seeds	1 teaspoon
Black peppercorns	1 teaspoon

 

Ingredients – 2
Small Onions	20 count / or use 2 medium regular onion
Tomato	2 count – medium size
Ginger Garlic paste	1 + 1/2 teaspoon (or 5 garlic cloves + 2″ ginger )
Green Chili	2 count -small variety
Mint leaves	1/2 cup -finely minced
Coriander leaves	1/2 cup – finely minced
Mixed vegetables	Carrot, potato, cauliflower, beans, green peas ( about 2 cups)
Bay leaf	3 count
Turmeric powder	1/2 teaspoon
Red chili powder	1 teaspoon
Coriander powder	3 teaspoon
Salt	2 teaspoon or to taste
Oil	4 tablespoon
Ghee	1 tablespoon (for sauteing)
Coriander leaves	1/4 cup for garnishing
Ghee	2 tablespoon (for drizzling)

 

Ingredients – 3
Seeraga Samba / Basmati Rice / Sirumani arisi	2 cups
Coconut milk (from 3/4 cup of fresh grated coconut)	2 cups
Water	1+ 1/2 cup

 

Notes
If you soak rice for 30 minutes then you need only the above measure of liquid
If you skip soaking then add 2 cups water instead of 1+1/2 and 2 cups of coconut milk
Pressure cooker is used for this recipe, you may also use rice cooker to finish the dish.
Roasting and grinding the masala is must for this recipe, do not skip.
If possible, try using small onions for this recipe

 

 

Method:

 

1. Chop small onion and tomato, slit open green chili, wash and chop mint and coriander leaves.

2. If using fresh grated coconut then grind it with 1 cup of water to thick consistency. Add that to a 2 cups of warm warm and then squeeze out the milk.

3. I’ve used freshly crushed ginger and garlic for this recipe, you may also use paste.

4. Wash and chop the vegetables of your choice into big cubes and keep aside.

 

 

5. Dry roast all the whole garam masala from table-1 in a pan, let cool completely and then grind to a coarse texture and keep aside.

 

 

6. Heat oil and ghee in a pressure cooker pan , add the bay leaf, green chili, onions, ginger, garlic and fry for few minutes. Then followed by chopped mint and coriander leaves. Fry for about 6 minutes over medium flame or until the onion turns translucent.

 

 

7. Now add the chopped tomato and fry until it gets mushy.

 

 

8. Now add the vegetable of your choice along with turmeric powder, ground garam masala powder, red chili powder, coriander powder and salt. Fry for about 5 minutes to get the masala blend well.

 

9. Drain all the water from the rice and add at this stage.  (If using a rice cooker you may proceed from this stage)

 

 

10. Add coconut milk and water. Check for salt, if you think its less add at this stage. Cover with pressure cooker lid and put the weight. Keep the flame at medium, wait for the whistle.  Let it cook upto 2 whistles (which should take about 6-7 minutes) and switch off. If you have trouble counting the whistles then cook for 5 minutes on medium flame and 5-6 minutes over low flame and then switch off. If that is also a problem then dump everything in a electric rice cooker and finish!

 

 

11. Once the pressure releases, open the lid. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves.

 

 

12. Drizzle melted ghee over the cooked biryani. Do not stir, let cool a lit bit then gently fluff with fork and transfer to a bowl. Serve hot with onion raita.

 

 

Yields: 4- 5 Adult servings.