BM # 71
Week 3, Day 3
Theme: One Pot Meals

It is on Sunday’s when I like to cook elaborate meals. I love to make special dishes which the family enjoys. At times I am told off too for making these elaborate meals but I know deep down they all enjoy . On one of the Sunday’s I made this Parda Biryani. The recipe will scare you. Seriously , but trust me what you need to do is read it patiently and understand. It is really a simple recipe with awesome flavors.
 
The Biryani is rich and makes a wonderful meal by itself, though I always serve Raita along with it as hubby wants a gravy, daal or curd with it. I like to enjoy the flavors in the rice without mixing any accompaniments.
 
The Parda in the Biryani is really delicious and one can actually use the recipe to make flat breads. They would taste awesome.

Parda Biryani

Rice

2 1/2 cups basmati rice
2-3 bay leaves
8-10 black peppercorns
1 tsp cumin seeds
2-4 cloves
1 small piece cinnamon stick
1 big Cardamon
2 star anise
Pinch turmeric
Salt to taste

Method 
Wash the rice well and soak for about 30 minutes.
Heat a pan.
Add 2 tbsp oil + 1 tsp ghee.
Add whole spices in the order they have been mentioned.
Add rice and roast for 3-4 minutes.
Add about 8 cups water , salt and turmeric.
Let the rice cook till 90% done.
Drain in a colander.
Let cool.

Preparing the vegetables

Ingredients
1 cup cauliflower flowerets
1 medium carrot, cut lengthwise
1 medium potato, cut lengthwise
10-15 beans , cut into 2″ pieces
1/2 cup fresh green peas


Method

Place a steamer on gas. 

Let the water boil.
Place all vegetables, sprinkle salt and steam the vegetables.
Keep aside.

 


Stuffing

Ingredients
2-4 tbsp ghee/ oil 
2 onions, finely chopped 
6-8 cloves garlic, finely chopped 
1 capsicum, diced 
Prepared steamed vegetables 
1/2 cup cottage cheese cubes 
1/2 tsp turmeric powder 
1 tsp red chilly powder 
2 tsp Tandoori masala 
1/2 tsp coriander powder 
1/2 tsp black salt 
Salt to taste 
1/2 cup fresh curd, beaten 
1/4 cup cream 
1/4 cup milk
 

Method
Heat oil/ ghee.
Add onions, garlic and capsicum. Saute till translucent.
Add the prepared vegetables and cottage cheese.
Saute for a minute or two.
Add all the spices and roast the vegetables till oil separates.
Add curd, cream and milk.
Let boil once .
Keep side.

 
Layering
Ingredients

1/2 cup milk
Few strands saffron
Ghee
Add saffron to the milk.

Garnishing
Ingredients
Fried onions 
Fried cashews 
Fried raisins 
Finely chopped coriander leaves 
Finely chopped mint leaves

 
For the Parda

Ingredients

1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup wheat flour
1 tsp kalonji / onion seeds
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 tbsp butter
Salt to taste
Milk to bind the doug
h


Method

Sieve the flours.
Add onion seeds, salt and baking soda.
Add butter and rub it with your hands , so as to resemble crumbs.
Use milk to bind a soft smooth pliable dough.
Cover with a wet muslin cloth and keep aside.

Assembling the Biryani

Take a deep pan or pot.
Brush it with ghee.
Spread a thin layer of rice.
Now spread a layer of the stuffing, again a thin layer.
Repeat a rice layer.
Drizzle ghee and sprinkle milk with saffron.
Repeat the layers, making sure the layers are thin and you add ghee and milk in between the layers.
The last layer has to be the rice layer.
Cover and cook on very slow flame till rice is completely cooked.
Roll out the prepared dough.
Invert a bakeware dish on top this dough and cut 1″ extra so the dough can overhang the bowl.
Transfer the rice to a bakeware dish.
Sprinkle fried onions, coriander leaves, mint leaves, fried cashews, raisins.
Cover the bowl with the cut chapati, before placing it, make sure to moist the edges.
Gently stick the edges to seal.
Place in a preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or till nice and golden.

 
To serve

The biryani is going to be very hot so be careful while cutting the parda.
Take a sharp knife and rotate it around the edges of the bowl to cut the parda on the biryani.
The roti can be enjoyed with Raita or pickle. It can also serve as a spoon.

Parda Biryani

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