Kathal Biryani

Name: Kathal Biryani
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 10 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: north_indian
Ingredients: 1.25 cup basmati rice (soaked for 30 minutes and drained); 400 g kathal (young, cleaned and cut into medium chunks); 2 pcs onion (medium, thinly sliced); 2 pcs tomato (medium, chopped); 0.5 cup yogurt (plain, whisked); 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste; 2 pcs green chili (slit); 0.25 cup mint (loosely packed leaves); 0.25 cup coriander leaves (chopped); 2 tbsp ghee; 1 tbsp oil; 1 tsp cumin seeds; 2 pcs bay leaf; 4 pcs green cardamom; 4 pcs cloves; 1 inch cinnamon (stick); 6 pcs black peppercorns; 1 pcs star anise; 1 pinch turmeric powder; 1 pinch red chili powder; 1 tsp coriander powder; 1 pinch garam masala; 0.5 tsp salt (divided); 6 cup water (for parboiling rice); 1 tbsp lemon juice; 2 tbsp milk (warm); 6 pcs saffron (soaked in warm milk)

RATING

4.4/5(87)

TASTE SCORE

8/10

Fragrant basmati rice layered with spiced young jackfruit, fresh herbs, and whole spices, then cooked on dum until every grain is light and aromatic. It has the rich feel of biryani with the hearty bite of kathal.

PREP

25m

COOK

45m

SERVES

1 KATORI

436 cal

SERVINGS

METHOD · 8 STEPS

prep · ~30 min
Soak the rice and prep the kathal.
1.Wash the basmati rice until the water runs mostly clear, then soak it for 30 minutes.
2.Drain the rice and keep it ready for parboiling.
3.Clean and cut the young kathal into medium chunks if not already prepared.
4.Whisk the yogurt and soak the saffron in warm milk.
TIPYoung kathal works best here because it stays meaty and absorbs the biryani masala well.
fry · ~10 min
Fry the onions.
1.Heat the oil and 1 tbsp ghee in a heavy pan over medium heat.
2.Add the sliced onions and cook, stirring often, until deep golden and crisp at the edges.
3.Take out about one-third of the onions for layering and keep the rest in the pan.
TIPKeep the heat medium so the onions turn sweet and golden instead of burning.
boil · ~10 min
Parboil the rice.
1.Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a large pot.
2.Add bay leaf, 2 green cardamom, 2 cloves, the cinnamon, black peppercorns, and the salt for parboiling rice.
3.Add the drained rice and cook until it is about 70 percent done, with a slight bite in the center.
4.Drain the rice immediately and spread it lightly so it does not keep cooking.
TIPDo not fully cook the rice now; it finishes on dum and stays long and separate.
saute · ~8 min
Build the kathal masala.
1.To the pan with the remaining onions, add cumin seeds, the remaining green cardamom, cloves, and star anise.
2.Add ginger-garlic paste and green chili, then sauté until the raw smell fades.
3.Add chopped tomato, turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, and the divided salt.
4.Cook until the tomatoes soften and the masala looks thick and glossy.
simmer · ~15 min
Cook the kathal in the masala.
Add the kathal and mix well so every piece is coated. Stir in the yogurt and 1/2 cup water, cover, and cook on low heat until the kathal is tender and the masala turns thick enough to cling to it.
TIPIf the masala looks watery at the end, cook uncovered for a few minutes before layering.
assemble · ~5 min
Layer the biryani.
1.Spread half of the kathal masala in a heavy pot.
2.Cover it with half of the parboiled rice.
3.Scatter half of the fried onions, half of the mint, and half of the coriander leaves over the rice.
4.Repeat with the remaining kathal masala, rice, fried onions, mint, and coriander leaves.
5.Drizzle lemon juice, saffron milk, and the remaining 1 tbsp ghee on top.
rest · ~30 min
Seal and cook on dum.
Cover the pot tightly and cook on very low heat for 20 minutes so the rice finishes cooking and the flavors blend. Let it rest off the heat for 10 minutes before opening.
TIPUse the lowest heat possible so the bottom does not catch while the rice steams gently.
serve
Fluff gently and serve hot.

PRO TIPS

What to keep in mind.

6 tips from the recipe — small details that make a real difference to the final dish.

1
Drain the parboiled basmati as soon as it is 70% cooked; carryover heat can make it mushy before dum.
2
Cook the onions to deep golden, not just pale brown, because they add much of the biryani’s sweetness and color.
3
Make sure the kathal masala is thick before layering; excess liquid will steam the rice unevenly.
4
Use a heavy-bottomed pot or place a tawa under the biryani pot during dum to prevent the bottom layer from scorching.
5
Let the biryani rest the full 10 minutes after dum so the grains firm up and the layers set before fluffing.
6
Fluff with a flat spoon from the side of the pot to keep the basmati grains long and the kathal pieces intact.

RECIPE VARIATIONS

Adapt it for your goals.

vegan

Vegan

Replace yogurt with thick coconut yogurt and swap ghee and milk for oil and plant milk. You keep the layered biryani texture with a fully dairy-free finish.

spicier