N e i v e d y a m

This Biryani is made with a special kind of rice which is called the "Seeraga Samba" rice. This rice is of Tamil Nadu origin, a southern state of India. The Rice is very Aromatic by nature just like the Basmati. Since it resembles Cumin which is called "Seeragam" in Tamil, it is called Seeraga Samba. Most of the traditional biryani, may it be veg or Non-veg are made with this rice in Tamil Nadu.

I have prepared a traditional style biryani here.

Ingredients

2 cups Seeraga Samba rice
4 cups water
3 large red onions
2 tbsp white poppy seeds (soaked in water for 15 minutes)
1/2 cup tomato puree
1 cup of chopped, mixed vegetables (carrot, peas, beans and capsicum)
4 green chillies
1 tsp Ginger garlic paste
4 cloves
2 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick
2 crushed green cardamom
1 strand of mace
2 tbsp yogurt
1 tsp Turmeric
4 tbsp Ghee (clarified butter)
1 tsp Biryani masala (store bought)
fresh chopped cilantro
fresh chopped mint
Salt

Preparation

Grind the soaked poppy seeds along with 1 large onion into fine paste. In a wide pot add ghee and fry the cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, mace, bay leaves till aroma raises. This should be done on medium low heat. To this add ginger garlic paste, green chillies and chopped onions and fry them till golden. Add the ground poppy mixture and fry well. Let the mixture separate oil

Now add yogurt and let the yogurt also separate oil out of it. To this add tomato, chopped mint, turmeric, biryani masala, salt and fry well. If required add more ghee or oil.
Finally add the vegetables and rice along with water and give a stir. The water should come to boil. Once it boils, simmer the gas and cover with lid. Do check at intervals to see if the water has evaporated. Remove from gas stove and let it cool. Don't stir while the rice it hot. It tends to break. Garnish with chopped cilantro.

This can be prepared in a rice cooker too. After adding rice and water, transfer the contents in to the rice cooker. Aromatic Biryani is ready in minutes.

Onion Raita

This biryani is relished with onion raita/ onion pachadi

Ingredients

1 cup thick yogurt
1/3 cup chopped onions
Salt

Preparation

Mix the onions and salt to yogurt. It goes great with biryani.

This is my JFI- Rice entry.