Tender, spiced raw jackfruit cooked with fragrant basmati rice in the traditional dum style. This vegetarian biryani is a showstopper, packed with rich Mughlai flavors and aromatic spices, offering a meaty texture without the meat.
Prep30 min
Cook60 min
Soak30 min
Servings4
Serving size: 1.5 cups
676cal
13gprotein
100gcarbs
Ingredients
500 g Raw Jackfruit (Cleaned and cut into 2-inch pieces)
2 cup Basmati Rice (Rinsed and soaked for 30 minutes)
3 pcs Onion (2 large thinly sliced for birista, 1 medium finely chopped for masala)
A refreshing and cooling yogurt dip made with grated cucumber, fresh herbs, and mild spices. This classic Indian side dish is the perfect accompaniment to spicy curries, biryanis, and pulaos, ready in just 10 minutes.
Aromatic Kathal ki Biryani with cool Cucumber Raita – an energy-giving and gut-friendly delight for dinner.
This awadhi dish is perfect for dinner. With 765.67 calories and 18.36g of protein per serving, it's a nutritious choice for your meal plan.
25gfat
0.5 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Red Chili Powder (Adjust to taste)
1.5 tsp Coriander Powder
2 tsp Biryani Masala Powder
2.5 tsp Salt (Divided: 0.5 tsp for jackfruit, 1.5 tsp for rice water, 0.5 tsp for masala)
2 pcs Bay Leaf
4 pcs Green Cardamom
4 pcs Cloves
1 inch Cinnamon Stick
0.25 cup Mint Leaves (Fresh, chopped)
0.25 cup Coriander Leaves (Fresh, chopped)
1 pinch Saffron
2 tbsp Milk (Warm)
8.5 cup Water (8 cups for rice, 0.5 cup for jackfruit)
Instructions
1
Preparation and Marination
Apply a little oil to your hands and knife to prevent the jackfruit's sap from sticking. Cut the raw jackfruit into 2-inch pieces.
In a pressure cooker, add the jackfruit pieces, 1/2 cup of water, and 1/2 tsp of salt. Cook for 1 whistle. Release the pressure, drain the jackfruit, and let it cool slightly.
In a large bowl, combine the cooked jackfruit, whisked curd, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, and 2 tsp biryani masala.
Mix thoroughly to ensure all jackfruit pieces are well-coated. Cover and let it marinate for at least 1 hour (or up to 4 hours in the refrigerator).
2
Prepare Birista and Parboil Rice
While the jackfruit marinates, prepare the birista. Heat 1 cup of oil in a deep pan or kadai. Add the 2 thinly sliced large onions and fry on medium-high heat for 12-15 minutes, stirring frequently, until they are golden brown and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and spread on a paper towel to drain excess oil.
In a large pot, bring 8 cups of water to a rolling boil. Add the bay leaves, green cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon stick, and 1.5 tsp of salt.
Drain the soaked basmati rice and add it to the boiling water. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the rice is 70% cooked (al dente). The grain should break when pressed but still have a firm core.
Immediately drain the rice in a colander to stop the cooking process and set aside.
3
Cook the Jackfruit Masala
In a heavy-bottomed pot (handi) suitable for dum cooking, heat 2 tbsp of ghee over medium heat.
Add the 1 finely chopped medium onion and sauté for 6-8 minutes until it turns soft and golden brown.
Add the slit green chilies and sauté for another 30 seconds.
Pour in the tomato puree and cook for 4-5 minutes until the mixture thickens and oil begins to separate at the edges.
Add the marinated jackfruit along with the entire marinade. Add 1/2 tsp of salt. Mix well and cook for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the gravy has thickened and the jackfruit is well-integrated with the masala.
4
Layer and Dum Cook the Biryani
Soak the saffron pinch in 2 tbsp of warm milk and set aside.
Lower the heat to a minimum. Spread half of the parboiled rice evenly over the jackfruit masala in the pot.
Sprinkle half of the fried onions (birista), half of the chopped mint, and half of the chopped coriander leaves over the rice layer.
Carefully spread the remaining rice to form the top layer.
Garnish with the remaining birista, mint, and coriander leaves. Drizzle the saffron-infused milk and the remaining 2 tbsp of melted ghee all over the top.
Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. To create a perfect 'dum' seal, you can line the rim with dough or place a heavy object on the lid.
Cook on high heat for the first 2 minutes to build up steam, then reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting and let it cook for 20-25 minutes.
5
Rest and Serve
Turn off the heat and let the biryani rest, with the lid on, for at least 10-15 minutes. This allows the flavors to meld together and the rice to finish cooking in the residual steam.
Open the lid and gently fluff the biryani from the sides using a fork or a flat spatula, mixing the layers lightly.
Serve hot with a side of cooling raita or a tangy salan.
90cal
5gprotein
9gcarbs
4gfat
Ingredients
2 cup Curd (Thick, plain, and chilled. Greek yogurt or hung curd works well.)
1 medium Cucumber (Peeled and grated. English or Persian cucumbers are preferred.)
1 tsp Roasted Cumin Powder (Freshly ground for best aroma.)
2 tbsp Coriander Leaves (Finely chopped.)
1 tbsp Mint Leaves (Finely chopped.)
0.5 tsp Salt (Adjust to taste.)
0.25 tsp Black Salt (Also known as Kala Namak.)
1 pcs Green Chilli (Finely chopped, deseed for less heat.)
0.25 tsp Sugar (Optional, to balance the tang of the yogurt.)
Instructions
1
Prepare the Cucumber (4 minutes)
Wash, peel, and grate the medium cucumber using a box grater.
Place the grated cucumber in a fine-mesh sieve or a muslin cloth. Press down firmly or squeeze to remove as much water as possible. This is the most crucial step to prevent a watery raita.
Set the squeezed cucumber aside.
2
Prepare the Yogurt Base (2 minutes)
In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add the thick curd (yogurt).
Whisk the curd for about a minute until it is completely smooth and creamy, with no lumps.
Add the roasted cumin powder, salt, black salt, and optional sugar to the whisked yogurt. Mix well to combine the spices evenly.
3
Combine and Chill (4 minutes + chilling time)
Add the squeezed grated cucumber, finely chopped green chilli, coriander leaves, and mint leaves to the spiced yogurt base.
Gently fold all the ingredients together until everything is well incorporated.
Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. You may need more salt or a pinch more sugar depending on the sourness of your yogurt.