Bagara Prawns Biryani

 

                You must have heard of Bagara Baingan, the signature dish of Hyderabad. So this is my take of the Hyderabadi special. The dominant spices in this recipe are coconut, sesame seeds and peanuts. It is a very delectable side dish and the tanginess from the tamarind makes it even more lip smacking and yummy. 

               So check out my version of a Biryani prepared with Bagara Prawns, using the same spices. You can relish this one-pot meal with raita and lime wedges as accompaniments. It is also an ideal party recipe apt for any special occasions. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this recipe.

               Bagara Prawns Biryani is done by layering method, where I cooked the Prawns and the rice separately. Then I layered them by adding few toppings over it to be cooked in the dum style. And Voila, you have a yummy and a flavorsome one-pot comfort meal for a lazy weekend lunch.
          

Ingredients - 

• 1 cup medium size prawns, cleaned, washed and drained
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 2 tbsp. peanuts
• 1 tbsp. sesame seeds
• 2 tbsp. fresh grated coconut
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1-2 sprigs curry leaves
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. red chili powder
• 1 tbsp. roasted coriander powder
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1 tsp. tamarind paste 
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

Rice - 

• 1 cup Basmati rice, soaked for an hour
• required quantity of water to boil
• 2 tbsp. whole coriander seeds
• 1 tbsp. cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp. whole pepper
• handful of coriander leaves
• 2 sprig curry leaves
• 1 tbsp. salt
• 1 tsp. oil
• 1 tbsp. lime juice

Other Ingredients -

• 1 tsp. ghee to grease the pan
• 2 tsp. lime juice
• 3 tbsp. chopped coriander leaves
• 2-3 tbsp. ghee
• 8-10 roasted cashew nuts
• 1/2 cup fried onion
• few drops of red & yellow color (opt)

          Marinate the prawns with a pinch of salt, red chili powder and turmeric powder for 10-15 minutes.        

          Dry roast the coconut, sesame seeds and peanuts till light golden in color. Cool and grind into a powder. Set aside.

          Heat oil in a pan and sauté the onion and curry leaves till light brown. 

          Add the ginger-garlic paste and all the dry spices mixed with some water. Sauté for 1-2 minutes. 

          Add the ground spice powder and the tamarind paste mixed with 1/2 cup water. Sauté on a low flame till well combined and the oil separates.

          Now add the marinated prawns and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the coriander leaves and stir fry for another 2 minutes more.

           Rice - Make a bouquet garni with coriander seeds, cumin seeds and peppercorns. (Alternately, you can tie all the mentioned spices in a muslin bag).

          In a saucepan, add water, salt, oil, lime juice, the bouquet garni, coriander leaves and curry leaves. Bring it to a boil and then add the soaked rice.

          Cook till it is 80 percent done. It should be al dente. Drain and keep aside.  

Biryani - 

         Grease a heavy bottomed pan with ghee. Spread half of the cooked rice, some fried onion, coriander leaves, ghee and cashew nuts.

          Spread the cooked Bagara Prawns, followed by some coriander leaves and fried onion. 

         Now spread remaining of the rice, coriander leaves, cashew nuts, ghee, lime juice, red & yellow food color (opt). Cover tightly with a lid or an aluminum foil.

         Cook on dum for 8-10 minutes on a low flame. When done, keep it covered for 10 minutes more. Serve with raita for a great comfort meal.

Dry roast the coconut, sesame seeds & peanuts till light golden in color. 

                   Cool and grind into a powder. Set aside.

Marinate the prawns with a pinch of salt, red chili powder & turmeric powder for 10-15 minutes. 

 Heat oil in a pan & sauté the onion & curry leaves till light brown. 

Add the ginger-garlic paste & all the dry spices mixed with some water. Sauté for 1-2 minutes. 

                     Add the ground spice powder 

and the tamarind paste mixed with 1/2 cup water. Sauté on a low flame till well combined and the oil separates.

         Now add the marinated prawns & cook for 2-3 minutes. 

                    Add the coriander leaves.

                    Stir fry for another 2 minutes more.

In a saucepan, add water, salt, oil, lime juice, the bouquet garni, coriander leaves and curry leaves. Bring it to a boil.

Add the soaked rice. Cook till it is 80 percent done. It should be al dente. 

                   Drain and keep aside.  

Grease a heavy bottomed pan with ghee. Spread half of the cooked rice, some fried onion, coriander leaves, ghee and cashew nuts.

Spread the cooked Bagara Prawns, followed by some coriander leaves & fried onion.

 

Spread remaining rice, coriander leaves, cashew nuts, ghee, lime juice, red & yellow food color (opt). 

Cover tightly with a lid or an aluminum foil. Cook on dum for 8-10 minutes on a low flame. 

             When done, keep it covered for 10 minutes more. 

                Serve with raita for a great comfort meal.

Raw Jackfruit (Kathal) Dum Biryani

 

            Let us relish some Raw/Green Jackfruit (Kathal) Dum Biryani which is not much popular but it does tastes delicious. This fruit or rather a veggie in the unripe form is known as a vegetarian's Non-Veg. dish as the texture resembles that of mutton. Enjoy it with raita and salad. You can also add in some roasted papad and pickles to go with it. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1 cup Basmati rice, soaked in water for 30 minutes
• 1 small Raw Jackfruit, cubed & soaked in water
• 3 tbsp. oil
• 3 tbsp. ghee
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2 green cardamoms
• 2 big cardamoms
• 4 cloves
• 1 mace
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 onions, sliced
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. red chili powder
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• few rose petals 
• handful of coriander leaves, chopped
• handful of mint leaves, chopped
• few strands of saffron soaked in 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tsp. rose water
• few drops of kewra essence
• handful of roasted cashew nuts

          Bring sufficient quantity of water to boil along with cinnamon stick, both the cardamoms, cloves, bay leaves, mace, 1 tsp. oil and 1 tbsp. salt. Add in the rice and simmer till half done. Drain and keep aside.

          Boil the jackfruit pieces along with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder.  Drain them well.

          Heat oil in a pan and stir fry the boiled jackfruit pieces till light brown. Keep aside. In the same oil fry two onions till golden in color. Keep them aside. 

         Heat 2 tbsp. ghee in a heavy bottomed pan and fry the remaining onion till light brown. Add the ginger-garlic paste and all the dry spices mixed with some water. Sauté till the oil separates. 

         Add the yoghurt and jackfruit and mix well. Sprinkle half of the coriander leaves, mint leaves, few rose petals, cashew nuts and fried onion.

          Spread the half cooked rice, followed by the remaining coriander leaves, mint leaves, fried onions, remaining rose petals, saffron milk, remaining ghee, roasted cashew, rose water and kewra essence.

          Cover with an aluminum foil tightly around the edges and place a lid / steel plate over it. Place something heavy over the lid if possible.

          Cook on a high flame for 2 minutes. Then place it over a hot tawa / griddle and cook further for 15-20 minutes on a very low flame.

          Switch off the flame and let it remain covered for another 10 minutes. Garnish as desired and serve with raita and salad for a weekend lunch.






Note - 

1.  If you don't have access to fresh jackfruit, use a tin of pre-boiled of 400-500 gms. jackfruit and skip the boiling process.

2.  Both the kewra essence and rose water will impart a strong taste to the biryani and can be skipped according to individual preference.

3.  Diabetics can skip the rice and use millets or quinoa instead.

         

                     Cook rice in boiling water along with cinnamon stick, both the cardamoms, 

                     cloves, bay leaves, mace, 1 tsp. oil & 1 tbsp. salt till half done. 

                                  Drain and keep aside.

                             Boil the jackfruit along with a pinch of salt & turmeric powder.  

                      Heat oil & stir fry the boiled jackfruit pieces till light brown. Keep aside.

                      In the same oil fry two onions till golden in color. Keep them aside. 

                                  Heat 2 tbsp. & fry the remaining onion till light brown. 

                         Add ginger-garlic paste & all the dry spices mixed with some water.

                         Sauté till oil separates. 

                                  Add the yoghurt 

                                  and jackfruit and mix well. 

                  Sprinkle half of the coriander & mint leaves, few rose petals, cashew nut

                  & fried onion.

                                  Spread the half cooked rice,                     

                      Add remaining coriander & mint leaves, fried onions, remaining rose petals, 

                      saffron milk, remaining ghee, roasted cashew, rose water & kewra essence.                  

                      Cover with an aluminum foil tightly & place a lid / steel plate over it. Cook 

                      on a high flame for 2 minutes. Then place it over a hot tawa / griddle & cook 

                      further for 15-20 minutes on a very low flame.

                      Switch off the flame and let it remain covered for another 10 minutes. 

         

                       Garnish as desired and serve with raita and salad for a weekend lunch.

Ilish Macher Biryani (Hilsa Fish Biryani - Bengali Style)

           A must try recipe for all fish lovers, this Hilsa Fish Biryani is just out of this world. It is cooked in a rich yoghurt and coconut milk gravy and flavored with kewra water. It is a one-pot delicacy that is just perfect for any special occasion, festivals or dinner party. Serve it with some  gravy, green chilies and lime wedges for a sumptuous Sunday menu. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

Fish Curry - 

• 3 pieces of Hilsa fish
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 2 tbsp. ghee
• 2 onions, sliced
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
• salt to taste
• 1/2 cup yogurt, beaten
• 2-3 green chilies
• 1 cup coconut milk

Biryani - 

• 1 cup Basmati rice, soaked for 30 minutes
• 1-2 tbsp. ghee / oil
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 4-5 cloves
• 1-2 bay leaves
• 1 onion, sliced

Garnishing -

• 2 tbsp. fried onions
• 2 slit green chilies
• 1 tsp. kewra water
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp. ghee

           Marinate the fish with a pinch of salt, turmeric powder and red chili powder for 10 minutes.

           For the curry - Heat oil and ghee in a pan and sauté the onion till light brown. Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry for a minute.

          Now add all the dry spices and mix well Add the beaten curd and green chilies. Simmer for a minute. Add the coconut milk and simmer further for a minute.

          Add the marinated fish pieces and cook, covered for 4-5 minutes. Switch off the flame and keep aside.

          For the Biryani - Heat the ghee / oil in a separate pan and temper with the whole garam masala and bay leaves. Add the onion and sauté till light brown.  

          Add the soaked rice and stir fry for 1-2 minutes. Add 3-4 tbsp. of the gravy, salt and 1 & 1/2 -2 cups water and cook till the rice is done. (I pressure cooked for 2 whistles)

          To assemble - Arrange the cooked rice in a pan and then arrange the cooked fish over it. Spread a little of the gravy, ghee, fried onions, slit green chilies, kewra water and coriander leaves.

          Cover with a lid and cook in dum on a low flame for 5-10 minutes. Serve with the remaining gravy, few green chilies and lime wedges for a sumptuous meal. 

                      Marinate fish with a pinch of salt, turmeric powder & red chili powder 
                      for 10 minutes.

                        Heat oil and ghee in a pan & sauté the onion till light brown. 

                        Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry for a minute.

                        Add all the dry spices and mix well.

                        Add the beaten curd & green chilies. Simmer for a minute. 

                        Add the coconut milk and simmer further for a minute.

                      Add marinated fish pieces & cook, covered for 4-5 minutes. Switch off
                      flame and keep aside.

                        Heat ghee / oil in a separate pan & temper with whole garam masala 
                        and bay leaves. Add the onion and sauté till light brown.  

                        Add the soaked rice and stir fry for 1-2 minutes. 

                        Add 3-4 tbsp. of the gravy, 

                        salt and 1 & 1/2 -2 cups water and cook till the rice is done.  

                     Arrange cooked rice in a pan & place cooked fish over it. Spread some
                     gravy, ghee, fried onions, green chilies, kewra water & coriander leaves.

                        Cover with a lid & cook in dum on a low flame for 5-10 min.

                             Serve with remaining gravy, few green chilies & lime wedges.