Sindhi Biryani

The first time I ever heard of Sindhi Biryani was while watching the programme ‘Food Safari’ on TV. I have been looking forward to make this Biryani for a long time, and what better occasion than for Lunch on New Years’ Day. As soon as I was finished with taking pictures, J asked me to serve it immediately as he couldn’t wait till lunchtime. I was glad that the look of it triggered his appetite. Being winters, we decided to devour the Biryani in our lawn, basking in the sun. This was a welcome change from the usual routine. As usual, I had served with with Mirchi ka Salan, which is a must have whenever Biryani is prepared. So yet another lunch passed by with “Tummy bhi khush mommy bhi Khush”, which means Tummy is Happy and so is Mommy 🙂

SindhiBiryani
Source: Food Safari

Sindhi Biryani
Ingredients
- 1 Kg Meat
- 500 gms Basmati rice
- 100 gms Curd
- 3 thin wedges tomatoes cut into
- 4 tablespoons Vegetable oil
- 3 Potatoes halved (I quartered them)
- 3 Thinly sliced onions thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons Ginger paste
- 1 tablespoon Garlic paste
- 10 Cloves
- 5 - 6 Green cardamom (plus 8 to cook rice)
- 4 - 5 Cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons Cumin seeds
- 8 to 10 Dried plums (Optional)
- 8 - 10 Peppercorns ground
- 2 Black Cardamom
- 1 tablespoon Chilli powder
- 2 teaspoons Turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoons Paprika
- 5 Bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon Coriander powder
- 2 teaspoons Cumin powder heaped
- 1 tablespoon Salt
- 3 Green chillies whole (plus1 finely sliced)
- 1 bunch Chopped Coriander leaves
- 1 bunch Chopped Mint leaves
- 25 gms Slivered almonds
- 25 gms Sultanas
- 25 gms walnuts
- 25 gms Cashew nuts
- Fried onion rings to garnish
Instructions
- Toast the almonds, walnuts, cashew nuts and sultanas till golden brown. Keep aside.
- Combine tomatoes, mint, coriander, sliced green chilli and keep aside.
- Fry onions in a little vegetable oil until golden brown and translucent.
- Add meat and stir for a few minutes.
- Add ginger and garlic pastes.
- Add curd, dried plums and all dried spices except saffron, mixing well to combine.
- Add 1 cup water, whole green chillies and salt.
- Cover and simmer for 45 minutes.
- Add 1/3 of the tomato mixture to the meat mixture.
- Cover and cook for a further 5 to 10 minutes.
- Soak rice for half an hour, drain and cook in boiling water with extra green cardamom pods.
- Drain when cooked and split into two lots.
- Add saffron to one half of the rice and stir through to distribute saffron evenly.
- On a large serving platter, spoon out half of the plain rice and top with the meat curry.
- Spoon over half the saffron rice and sprinkle with half the remaining tomato, mint and green chilli mixture.
- Add a layer of the boiled potatoes, then another layer of plain rice, saffron rice and finally onion rings.
- Top with remaining tomato, mint and green chilli mixture, then sprinkle over sultanas, almonds, walnuts and cashewnuts.
- Serve with Raita or Mirchi Ka Salan.