Preparing Delectable Biryani For A Muslim Wedding

Biryani is a popular dish at Muslim weddings, and it is considered a divine dish among all non-veg recipes. The dish is fragrant, non-greasy, and flavourful. The process of making biryani is an art, and it is often made with dedication and love. The recipe varies across different regions, with the Tamil Nadu Muslim version being distinct from the North Indian and Hyderabadi Biryani. In Tamil Nadu, the rice is cooked in the gravy along with the meat, while in other versions, they are cooked separately and then mixed. The key to a tasty biryani is the long hours of slow cooking, with some recipes requiring up to 10 hours of cooking time. The ingredients and spices used can also vary, but the end result is always a delicious and mouth-watering dish.

Soak the rice

Soaking the rice is an important step in making biryani. The rice should be washed and soaked in water for at least 20 minutes. This helps to remove any excess starch, which will prevent the rice from becoming sticky and mushy during cooking. After soaking, the rice should be drained and set aside until it is time to add it to the biryani. It is important not to soak the rice for too long, as this can also lead to mushy rice.

While the rice is soaking, you can prepare the other ingredients for the biryani. This includes marinating the chicken or mutton with lemon juice, salt, and spices, as well as chopping the onions, tomatoes, and herbs. You can also make a paste from ginger, garlic, and green chillies, which will be added to the biryani later.

Once the rice is soaked and the other ingredients are prepared, you can start cooking the biryani by heating oil and/or ghee in a large pot or pressure cooker. The whole spices, such as cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves, are then added and allowed to sizzle before the onions and other ingredients are added.

Remember to drain the rice thoroughly before adding it to the pot. The rice should be added at the right stage of cooking, as per the recipe, and it should be gently stirred to combine with the other ingredients without breaking the rice grains.

The rice will continue to cook as per the recipe instructions, either on the stovetop or in a pressure cooker. The final step is the "dhum" process, which involves slow cooking the biryani on low heat for a few hours to allow the flavours to develop and the rice to absorb all the spices and aromas.

Prepare the meat

Wash and clean the chicken pieces. You can use chicken with bones or mutton. If you are using mutton, it is recommended to use tender mutton. If the mutton is not tender, you can use a meat tenderizer or set it aside for about an hour to overnight.

Marinate the chicken or mutton with lemon juice or curd, salt, and turmeric. You can also add a little red chilli powder to the marinade. Set this aside to tenderize.

Now, make a paste of ginger, garlic, and green chillies. You can also add some mint and coriander leaves to this paste.

Heat oil and ghee in a deep-bottomed pan. When the oil is hot, add whole spices such as cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf, star anise, and cardamom. You can also dry roast and powder some of these spices and add them to the pan.

Once the spices start to splutter, add finely chopped onions and fry until they turn golden brown. Now, add the freshly ground paste and fry until the raw smell disappears.

Next, add the chicken or mutton pieces and sauté until the meat absorbs the masala. Fry the meat on low heat for a few minutes. You can also add some green chillies at this stage.

Now, add mashed or chopped tomatoes, curd, turmeric powder, and salt. Cook this mixture until the oil separates. You can also add red chilli powder for extra spice.

At this point, you can also add some water and pressure cook the meat until it is tender. This step is especially important if you are using mutton.

Make a paste

To make the paste, gather the following ingredients:

• 12 to 15 mint leaves
• 12 to 15 stems of coriander leaves
• 1.5 inches of ginger
• 3 large pods of garlic, or 6 to 8 small ones
• 2 to 3 green chillies
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 small black cardamom
• 4 green cardamoms
• 4 cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 star anise
• 2 strands of mace
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of shahi jeera

Add the chillies, onions, mint, coriander leaves, ginger, and garlic to a blender and make a fine paste.

Fry the spices

To fry the spices, heat oil in a deep-bottomed pan. You can use coconut oil, ghee, or a mixture of both. Once the oil is hot, add the cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and bay leaf. You can also add star anise. Fry the spices for a minute until they become aromatic.

Next, add the sliced onions and fry them until they turn light golden brown. You can also add ginger-garlic paste and fry until the raw smell disappears. Some recipes also suggest adding mint and coriander leaves at this stage.

After this, you can proceed to add the meat (chicken or mutton) and continue with the rest of the recipe.

Cook the biryani

Wash the rice and soak it in water for at least 20 minutes. Drain the water and set the rice aside.

Clean and wash the chicken pieces. Marinate the chicken with lemon juice, salt, turmeric powder and red chilli powder. Set aside for an hour.

Make a paste of ginger, garlic and green chilli. You can also add onions, mint and coriander leaves to this paste.

Heat oil and ghee in a deep-bottomed pan. Add whole spices such as cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf, star anise and cardamom. Wait until the spices begin to splutter.

Add finely chopped onions and fry until golden brown. Now add the freshly ground paste and fry until the raw smell disappears.

Add chopped coriander and mint leaves. Mix well and sauté for a minute.

Add chicken pieces and sauté until the chicken absorbs the masala. Now add mashed tomatoes, curd, turmeric powder and salt. Cook until the oil separates.

Add water and bring to a boil. Check for salt and spicy seasonings.

Add the soaked rice and gently stir to combine well. Cover the pan with a lid and reduce the flame to medium.

Pressure cook for one whistle and simmer for 5-7 minutes. Once the pressure goes off, fluff the rice gently.

Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and serve hot with onion raita.

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